• In February, President William Ruto held a meeting with some ODM MPs at State House, Nairobi.
• Malala said the MPs who have met up with President Ruto at State House did so to discuss pertinent development agendas.
Image: CLEOPHAS MALALA / TWITTER
UDA secretary general Cleophas Malala has called out the Azimio coalition for castigating Azimio MPs who met President William Ruto at State House.
Malala said the MPs did so to discuss pertinent development agendas that were important to them yet they have been unfairly accused by their parent coalition of being ‘bought’ by the national party.
“It is very unfortunate that when Members of Parliament go to State House on a development agenda they are termed as people who have been bought. State House is not the UDA party headquarters,” Malala said on K24 on Tuesday.
"If those Members of Parliament would come to hustler centre they would say they have been bought but those Members of Parliament went to an institution that is a symbol of national unity."
He highlighted the unifying nature of the State House, saying Kenya was hosting the Italian President who after arriving went to meet President Ruto at the State House.
“Today we hosted the Italy President. Was he coming to UDA? No. He was coming to a place whereby the President of the Republic of Kenya who is a symbol of national unity sits and when somebody goes State House it does not mean he has been bought,” he said.
Malala added that it shouldn’t be politicised when elected leaders follow different tactics while they are trying to conjure up how best to serve Kenyan citizens.
“When people change or change their ideological thinking that does not amount to buying,” Malala said.
In February, President William Ruto held a meeting with some ODM MPs at State House, Nairobi, which was seen as part of the President's strategy to counter opposition chief Raila Odinga who was holding 'anti -Ruto resist' rallies.
They included Gideon Ochanda (Bondo), Elisha Odhiambo (Gem), Mark Nyamita (Uriri), Caroli Omondi (Suba South), Shakeel Shabir (Kisumu East, Independent) Felix Odiwuor alias Jalang’o (Lang’ata), Paul Abuor (Rongo), John Owino (Awendo) and Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda.
The MPs were blasted for meeting Ruto and accused of allegedly violating the party's constitution.
Migori Senator Eddy Oketch wrote to the party to expel and deregister the nine lawmakers last month.
"On February 7, the members of the party were treated to blatant and arrogant violation of the party's Constitution as read together with Section 14A (1) (e) of the Political Parties Act No. 11 of 2012 of the Laws of Kenya by the above mentioned Party Members," the letter read.
However, opposition leader Raila Odinga made a U-turn on the planned expulsion of nine rebel MPs saying the MPs had written to him explaining why they visited President Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua.
He added that they had affirmed their commitment to the Orange party.