Kakamega County Senator Boni Khalwale has slammed the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga over what he has described as double-dealing in Kenyan politics.

Taking to his official X account on Sunday, April 27, 2025, Khalwale told off Raila for supporting President William Ruto’s administration while at the same time criticising it.

According to Khalwale, it is not possible for Raila to play both the government and opposition roles.

Khalwale on broad-based government

He further argued that the opposition, which is the minority side in parliament, and the government, which is the majority side, are two mutually exclusive alternatives, and that Raila cannot enjoy both of them simultaneously.

“@RailaOdinga, this is not possible! You can’t have your cake and eat it too! The opposition (minority) and the government (majority) are two mutually exclusive alternatives; you can’t enjoy both of them simultaneously,” Khalwale stated.

@RailaOdinga, this is not possible!
You can't have your cake and eat it too! The opposition (minority) and the government (majority) are two mutually exclusive alternatives, you cant enjoy both of them simultaneously pic.twitter.com/Q7c1amc5OD

— Dr Boni Khalwale, CBS (@DrBKhalwale) April 27, 2025

Khalwale’s remarks come two days after Raila defended Siaya Governor James Orengo and his Kisumu counterpart Anyang Nyong’o from verbal attacks after they came under fire over their criticism of the broad-based government.

Speaking on Friday, April 25, 2025, Raila stated that the governors were within their democratic rights in expressing their opinions.

Raila on broad-based government

Raila noted that the ODM duo made their views public over a topic that his party has been championing.

“I said we are in a democracy, and in a democracy, everyone has a right to expression. As ODM, we decided to enter into an agreement with the government. That doesn’t mean we have all become part of the government,” Raila clarified.

“There is no coalition between UDA and ODM, but an arrangement which was based on an MOU signed between us in the open daylight; there are 10 clear points. So I don’t see why people are bickering. When James Orengo talks, he is talking on the basis of the MOU between ODM and UDA. Orengo has not committed any crime; he has a democratic right to say what he said. When Nyongo talks about devolution, he is talking the language of ODM,” he stated.

Raila also reiterated ODM’s position in the broad-based system, emphasising that they only entered a working agreement with the government and not a coalition.

He made parallels to the US system of governance, where both administrations had members of the rival party in their cabinet.

“As the ODM party, we said we would enter into an agreement. ODM entering into an agreement with the government doesn’t mean we have entered into government,” Odinga said.