Raila's ODM Party Accuses President Ruto of Using Stolen Money to Buy Azimio MPs

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party has played down the move by a group of MPs to shift to President Ruto’s camp.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Raila Odinga-led party said the MPs’ visit to State House did not come as a surprise as most of them were being monitored in the run-up to the visit.

"The visit to State House this morning by a section of ODM Members of Parliament has not come as a surprise to the party and the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Movement," read the statement by ODM Director of Communications Phillip Etale.

"The party has been monitoring closely the behind-the-scenes activities involving some of them and today was just the climax."

Etale noted that the leaders decided to undermine the party's leadership and go against the will of the people, who elected them to their positions.

The party further accused the “illegitimate” Kenya Kwanza administration of using stolen funds to buy some leaders in order to thwart ODM and Azimio’s planned countrywide rallies.

"Three months ago, the Azimio la Umoja leadership began rallies to push for the reclamation of its victory from the hands of the illegitimate administration in order to provide the leadership Kenyans want, but all along, we knew the enemy will not sit pretty," ODM noted.

"They have started spending stolen money to hoodwink some of our leaders with the aim of trying to scuttle our activities. Such meetings are aimed at diverting the attention of Kenyans from issues they are faced with, ranging from the high cost of living, unbearable school fees for their children, and corruption."

While urging Kenyans to ignore the leaders, Etale said the Azimio movement remains unstoppable and that the planned rallies across the country will go on.

"We know that in the quest for legitimate leadership, there are those who will fall by the wayside, and some will be compromised, but the MOVEMENT remains unstoppable. This is a people’s movement aimed at defending the constitution of the land. History will judge harshly leaders who want to betray Kenyans by accepting handouts to scuttle the activities of the movement," Etale added.

Some of the ODM leaders who were hosted by President Ruto at State House on Tuesday included Tom Ojienda (Kisumu), Shakeel Shabir (Kisumu Town East), Caroli Omondi (Suba South), Elisha Odhiambo (Gem), Gideon Ochanda (Bondo) Phelix Odiwour AKA Jalango (Langata), and Mark Nyamita (Uriri).