Members of Parliament allied to the opposition have challenged the government to initiate new projects in Nyanza as President William Ruto continues with his four-day working tour of the region.

Led by National Assembly Minority Party Leader Opiyo Wandayi, the lawmakers said they want to see new projects and not just the continuation and implementation of old projects started during the reigns of retired President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The MPs were James Nyikal (Seme), Aduma Owuor (Nyakach), Rosa Buyu (Kisumu West), Peter Masara (Suna West) and Ruth Odinga (Kisumu County Woman Representative).

Kisumu Deputy Governor Mathews Owili, Members of the Kisumu County Assembly led by Speaker Elisha Oraro, majority leader Ken Ooko, chief whip Seth Kanga and a host of MCAs and ODM party leaders also graced the occasion.

The leaders demanded that the government initiate new projects that would turn around the economic growth in Nyanza, create more wealth and employment opportunities as well as reduce the high cost of living.

“We want to see commissioning of completely new projects,” Nyikal stated.

While affirming their loyalty to the ODM party and their leader Raila Odinga, the leaders asked a section of members of the opposition party openly promoting Kenya Kwanza government activities to stop wavering, saying they risk losing their seats in the 2027 polls.

“Mr Speaker we have seen even MCAs elected in ODM are wavering…but the voters are watching every step you are making,” Buyu said.

Nyikal said they would not allow UDA allies to scuttle the unity of the residents of Nyanza by woing them to defect to the ruling party.

Masara claimed that the cost of living was unbearable and urged the government to lower the cost of living.

“We will treat you always as a tourist and until such a time you visit the community with Raila Odinga beside you. We will not be swayed into new political direction,” Masara said.

He said if the UDA leadership is up to the common good of the community then they should work closely with the top leadership in the area under the stewardship of Odinga.

“For us, our fidelity in politics is to Raila Odinga. No amount of effort to pull us parallel to his political course will triumph. We are firmly behind our political Godfather Odinga,” Masara stated.

The lawmakers were speaking during the burial of the late mzee John Ouko Tweya, 91, father to the speaker of Kisumu County assembly speaker Elisha Oraro, in Bar Union, Nyahera village, Kisumu West Constituency.

Buyu laughed at her counterparts in the National Assembly who had switched allegiance to work with the Kenya Kwanza administration saying for her and other cohorts present at the funeral, they would never turn their back on Odinga.

Ruth Odinga asked residents and leaders of Nyanza to intercede for her brother Raila Odinga.

“I am asking you to pray for my brother Raila Odinga. Kindly pray for him. I know why, as a member of the conjugal family, am asking you to do so,” Ruth said.

Odinga who was earlier tipped to attend the burial ceremony skipped the event and instead sent Wandayi to represent him.

But her sister told the President to stop lying to the Luo community by going around with the governors elected on the ODM party to launch projects started by his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta.

She claimed that the Ksh1 billion Kabonyo Kanyagwal fisheries project commissioned by President Ruto on Friday was not budgeted for as the current administration’s financial year started in July this year.

“The fisheries project is not in this year’s National budget. I am a member of the Budget Committee and have not seen funds appropriated for the project,” She said as she accused Ruto’s administration of taking credit for Uhuru’s projects.

Ruto had during the groundbreaking of the project said the centre would produce several million fingerlings annually, and the surplus would be used to restock Lake Victoria.

The Head of State noted that the project funded by the Hungarian government would boost food and nutrition security, besides creating many job opportunities for the residents.

The government, the President said, was committed to scaling up the fingerlings production to 10 million annually.

He told the contractor to finish the project within the next one year as the Hungarian government, through its envoy Zsolt Meszarog, committed to keeping the timelines.