Brian Mayodi
President William Ruto has received a reprimand from Azimio leader Raila Odinga for his insistence that the time for politics has passed.
According to the ODM leader, politicians are never expected to cease doing what they are paid to do because they were elected specifically to participate in politics.
“You’ve been told the time for politics is over, now it’s time for development. I believe I’m addressing a team of politicians. If time for politics is over, there’s no job for Members of Parliament,” Raila said.
“If the time for politics is over, then close Parliament and let the bureaucrats continue doing development,”
Raila aired his views as he addressed the Azimio Parliamentary Group in Machakos county’s Maanzoni Lodge on Thursday.
Raila dismissed Langata MP Phelix Odiwour aka Jalang’o, when he claimed that his visit to State House was for development purposes rather than political ones.
“Politics and development are intertwined. This is what you are paid for, you are paid to politics. The work of politicians is too political and politics is the development and that’s why there is no need for politicians to go and beg for development, that’s the right of Kenyans,” he said.
Jalang’o has drawn criticism for accompanying eight Nyanza lawmakers to a breakfast meeting with Ruto at State House on Tuesday.
The young MP justified the trip by claiming that he was following up on development initiatives the president had started in his constituency.
“The president called me because contractors are getting on-site now at Langata Soweto zone B, and construction is starting. So just like he came to launch it he told me the signings were happening, and that was it.
“We have to learn how to differentiate politics and development,” Jalang’o said.
When Raila showed up during the Azimio PG, the MP was expelled from the meeting.
