‘We also pay taxes, deserve rightful share of opportunities’ -Kaluma tells Ruto

Homa Bay town constituency Member of Parliament (MP) Opondo Kaluma on Sunday criticized President William Ruto over his recent appointments of Luo leaders who supported his decisions into various positions saying it is meant to hoodwink the community.

Kaluma said while Ruto rewarded his kinsmen with plum jobs, the region is only being given lesser appointments despite the appointees supporting his course.

Ruto recently appointed a number of leaders from the region including the former Lake Basin Development Authority chairman Odoyo Owidi to serve in various parastatals.

Owidi was appointed to serve as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Lake Victoria South Water works for a period of three months.

The President further named a number of individuals including former elected leaders and others who left ODM after the nominations and supported his election to serve on various boards in various parastatals.

Odoyo who used to be a staunch supporter of Azimio la Umoja Coalition leader Raila Odinga’s, turned his guns against Odinga after he failed to get ODM’s Kasipul parliamentary ticket.

Kaluma also highlighted the appointments of Susan Jemtai Koech as the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya for a period of four years and William Ruto who was appointed as the Managing Director of Kenya Ports Authority last week.

“Same week when our more brilliant sons and daughters were being dumped as board members of some moribund parastatals for Ksh10,000 per month,” Kaluma said.

Kaluma said all Kenyans pay taxes and deserve to get equal appointments and no special jobs should be reserved for some communities.

“The requirements of inclusivity, equity, ethnic and regional balance across all cadres of government is not for decoration! We also pay taxes and deserve our rightful share of opportunities,” the outspoken legislator added.

Recently Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua declared that top government positions are only preserved for Ruto’s supporters who campaigned and voted for Kenya Kwanza in the 2022 presidential poll, and those in the opposition should wait for their time.

He described the Ruto administration as a company of few individuals that has shareholders.

“Ruto supporters invested in him, they must reap,” he said.

Gachagua noted that some politicians who rejected Ruto were now visiting State House to seek government appointments.

“You cannot make noise and abuse Ruto then after he wins you want to be in line to benefit,” he said, adding that he will “not allow outsiders” to benefit.

His remarks contradict Ruto’s promise of having an inclusive government that reflects the face of Kenya regardless of whether they voted for him or his opponents.

While describing the DP as a tribal leader with a loose tongue, opposition leaders stated that Gachagua’s remarks were not surprising.

Junet Mohammed, a close ally of opposition chief Raila Odinga, fears that the government is becoming a personal fiefdom.

“If the Republic is considered as a company owned by two individuals, why should Kenyans pay taxes?” he said in a tweet.

President Ruto has been on a purge revoking several appointments made by his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta replacing them with his own appointees.

In his nationwide political rallies, Odinga describes Ruto’s appointments as selective, unbalanced, rewarding close political allies, with a majority of appointees members of his Kalenjin tribe, and from the Kikuyu community of his deputy.