ODM legislators read mischief in Ruto’s support

A section of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leaders have read mischief with the decision by Deputy President William Ruto’s to support the Building Bridges Initiative Report (BBI).

The leaders who included Council of Governors chairman and Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, Minority whip and Suna East MP Junet Mohammed, Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi and Nyando MP Jared Okello said the sincerity of Ruto will be known in the coming days.

Oparanya said Ruto’s change of inclination is a clear indication that every leader will own the constitutional changes that will go a long way in healing the country from post-poll chaos that have always been witnessed where the ‘winner take all.’

Oparanya was speaking yesterday at Masaba Village in Butere sub county during the burial of service of Francis Meso.

 “I asked Dr Ruto to go slow but he was too fast and now he has made a U-turn on BBI to support it.

That is a bold step as the second in command and we welcome him to join the bandwagon after demonstrating as a true nationalist leader who loves his country,” said Oparanya.

Mohammed said that he would only believe that Ruto is serious with BBI if he appends his signature to the report just like his boss President Uhuru Kenyatta.

According to him his change of heart raises questions as the issues he was opposed to like an expanded executive are still in the report.

“He needs to go and sign the report first, I don’t know what he is waiting for because the books are in Sugoi already,” he said.

“I don’t know why he wants to support something that he had criticized before for the last two years, the positions that he opposed are still there,” he added.

Wandayi said Ruto is free to join like-minded Kenyans and support the document but should do that unconditionally.

“ He is free to join reggae but as he does so he should do it unconditionally. Whether he is sincere or not, this is between him and his conscience,” he said.

Okello said: “He was meant to do so because he intends to vie as a president and there are seats that he can promise people through BBI”.

Asked whether as ODM MPs they are happy with the move he answered,” a non-contested referendum is the best going by the current economic situation in and the Covid-19 pandemic. I welcome the move”.