Kisumu senator insists he won’t be cowed to stop working with gov’t
By Kepher Otieno, February 27, 2023Kisumu Senator Prof Tom Ojienda maintains that he won’t be cowed or stopped from working with the government to initiate and/or bring development projects to his constituents.
Ojienda explained his cordial working relationship with the State was aimed at good and that he has no regret in supporting the Kenya Kwanza administration development initiative or projects in Kisumu.
“When the government does it right, it is right, when it’s wrong, we will point it out so that we can ensure effective management of the country and its scarce resources within the law,” Ojienda said.
He dismissed claims advanced by his sponsor party to the Senate – Orange Democratic Movement, (ODM), to the effect that they don’t recognize President William Ruto’s victory.
“The question of legitimacy is an afterthought and is now out of order. The President passed through all the legal and/or legit processes to become President,” he said
To this extent, the current talks or questions about his ‘illegitimacy in the office are mere philosophical or political questions.
“They are not legitimate ab initio,” declared Ojienda.
His statements come amid ODM leader Raila Odinga claims that President Ruto’s Presidency was illegitimate saying they don’t and won’t recognize it as legit.
But in a break from the party leader’s stand, Prof Ojienda, who is a law scholar, said their decision was informed by the needs of their electorates and that they had “no ill political motive or sinister idea.”
Addressing the press in his Kisumu City Senate office, the Senate asked his people to support his bid to deliver visible development projects and oversight as opposed to ceaseless politics.
He spoke as he gave a cheque worth Ksh8,392,110 million from his own source and friends’ contribution to help the less fortunate in Kisumu County. A total of 792 students in public schools will benefit.
“The senate doesn’t have an allocation for such projects, but this is my own donation and friends,” Ojienda said.
Migori Senator Eddy Oketch petitioned ODM to expel the lawmakers for promoting the ideologies, interests or policies of another political party.
The ODM legislators who met the President and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua at State House, Nairobi included; Kisumu Senator Prof Ojienda, Gideon Ochanda (Bondo), Elisha Odhiambo (Gem), Mark Nyamita (Uriri), Caroli Omondi (Suba South), Phelix Odiwuor (Lang’ata), and Paul Abuor (Rongo).
ODM chairman John Mbadi and secretary general Edwin Sifuna have since written for them a formal protest letter to show cause why they defied the party and went there alone without permission.
But the lawmaker said they see no fault in championing the electorates’ course. Ojienda said they were acting on the representative authority.
He defended his recent forays to State House to engage with the President directly and to Deputy President Gachagua, saying his visits were development driven and were now yielding fruits.
“Today, we are commissioning the Ksh1.2 billion 5-kilometre Muhoroni -Kisumu tarmac road, and Gem -Rae to commission dikes to prevent seasonal flooding in the Nyando river basin,” Ojienda said.
Over the years, flooding has been a natural event that replenishes the groundwater and revitalizes the soil through the deposit of sediments.
However, when communities settle within floodplains, flooding can cause adverse social, economic and environmental impacts, hence the reason the state is building dikes to reduce flood risk in Nyando.
Ojienda disclosed that many more development projects in Kisumu County have been lined up and asked the residents to brace for the highest good loading up to their own benefits.
He was flanked by Nyakach Central Vincent Odhiambo, South West Nyakach ward, Gad Olima and North Nyakach MCA Tom Nyaoke and a host of ODM party youth supporting his leadership.
The MCAs whose constituents were beneficiaries of the bursary vowed to stand with Senator Ojienda as long as his development projects were visible.
They asked him to work without mind regressive forces adding that what the people of Kisumu want now is politics of geometric economic progression.
“Our intention is to see development projects grow in geometric progression in terms of 2,4,6,8 as opposed to arithmetic progression,1,2,3,4,” said Odhiambo who urged Ojienda to go on aiming at good.
Olima and Nyaoke backed him, too, for the dike’s projects in their electoral wards, courtesy of the national government.
They lauded the current efforts by the national government to build dikes in the area to avert seasonal flooding during the rainy season that often displaced thousands of families.
“If these interventions are not visible and you only want us to be in politics 24 hours, then we are sorry and have no apologies. you can dismiss us in ODM and pick your own people,” Olima said.
Flood control projects along the Nyando river basin, which comprise earthen dikes the MCAs and Ojienda said will protect people living in low-lying areas, and stabilize the river banks.
“The dike projects will improve agricultural productivity by allowing the year-round cultivation of high-yielding varieties of rice using modern farming methods,” Ojienda said.
But ODM is acting on plans to kick them out of the party.