Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna on Thursday, September 12, 2024, reprimanded the State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed over a meeting in which some members of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party attended chaired by President William Ruto.
Appearing on a local TV, Sifuna argued that some members from the ODM party were called in to attend a meeting at State House on Monday, September 9, 2024.
Sifuna further added that he received a text message to attend the said meeting from Makadara Member of Parliament George Aladwa but gave it a wide berth.
However, Sifuna highlighted that Hussein Mohamed was changing the narrative since most ODM members did not honour the invite. To prove his point, Sifuna threatened to share details of the State House invite to attend the meeting.
Castigating Hussein
While lashing out at the State House Spokesperson, Sifuna recalled how Hussein made a phone call during a live TV show to dismiss claims made by Morara Kebaso that President Ruto had offered him a job.
Sifuna wondered why Hussein had not called in again to refute his sentiments on the said State House meeting. Nonetheless, Sifuna threatened to share details of the invite sent to him to attend the meeting.
“People at State House, people like Hussein Mohamed who was trying to be clever yesterday and I want to challenge Hussein Mohamed, you know he thinks everybody is like that young man Morara he was harassing here.
“I am surprised today he hasn’t called in to tell the people that Sifuna is lying. He knows it, the invitations are here,” Sifuna posed.
“We want to call out people like Hussein Mohamed at the State House, you and I know each other, I am not that young man you were harassing, so don’t tell lies,” he emphasised.
Defending the decision to snub the State House meeting, Sifuna argued that the President has no powers to summon a member of Opposition.
Hussein’s Statement
His sentiments come a day after Hussein Mohamed called out a local publication for carrying a story which reported that MPs allied to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga skipped the meeting despite receiving invitations.
However, Hussein insisted that the story was misleading and that ODM MPs only met Ruto for an informal lunch.
“On Monday, September 9, 2024, President William Ruto inspected the progress of the 4,054-unit Kibera Soweto East Zone B Affordable Housing Project in Nairobi County.
“After the event, the MPs in attendance accompanied the President to the State House for an informal lunch. Contrary to the story by ‘Daily Nation‘, there was no formal meeting as suggested,” Hussein wrote on X.
“State House communicates or invites MPs or any other individuals or groups through official channels only,” he added.