President William Ruto and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party Secretary General Edwin Sifuna on Saturday came head-on and traded a few light words at Ramba High School in Siaya County during the burial of Raila Odinga’s long-term security aide George Oduor.
Sifuna took to the podium first and urged President Ruto to let go of members of his administration who consistently come up short in the execution of their mandates, and end up only embarrassing the government.
The ODM SG cited this week’s controversy surrounding Butere Girls High School’s play ‘Echoes of War’ which he intimated was sabotaged by State actors at the Kenya National Drama and Film Festivals, leading to it not being staged.
This was after the playwright Cleophas Malala, who is also the former Secretary General of Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party, was arrested.
Butere Girls students hence declined to perform the play, demanding the release of the playwright, and stormed off the festival venue, only to be met by police teargas.
According to Sifuna, the drama surrounding the play was akin to shooting oneself in the foot, urging the President to take action against those in his government who were responsible for the chaos witnessed against the young school girls.
“Mheshimiwa Rais, Bishop ametuambia hapa kwamba kazi yako ni ngumu sana, na mimi nakubaliana na yeye, ata mimi saa zingine huwa najiuliza vile huwa unalala. Lakini kuna zingine, mheshimiwa rais, wanasema waswahili; ‘mwiba wa kujidunga, hauambiwi pole.’ Kuna watu kwa serikali yako kazi yao ni kushika handball kila siku,” said the Nairobi Senator.
“Sasa kama hii drama yote tumeona Nakuru, ati watoto wanakatazwa kufanya mchezo, sijui wanapigwa teargas, sijui wanafukuzwa…hiyo ni mwiba wa kujidunga. Wale ambao wanahusika na kufanya kazi yako ikuwe ngumu, read them the riot act kwa sababu tunajua kazi yako ni ngumu, wasifanye ikuwe ngumu zaidi.”
President Ruto, on his part, did not give a response on the Butere Girls incident, but merely urged Sifuna to restrain himself on his criticism of the government.
The Head of State reminded the ODM Secretary General that he is actually a founding member of the party, lightly adding that he can summon a meeting of his peers where they can institute disciplinary procedures against Sifuna.
“Nimeskia Sifuna anaongea na nguvu. Wakati unaongea mambo yangu Sifuna, ujue mimi ndio mwanzilishi wa ODM so unaenda polepole kidogo,” said the President.
“Sisi ndio tulianza hii kitu. Na unajua ukinisukuma sana, nitaitisha mkutano ya founder members wa ODM…tukiitisha hiyo mkutano kukufanyia discipline, sisi ambao tulianza chama. So tuendeni mossmoss.”
