Nairobi County Senator Edwin Sifuna has criticized State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed over claims that ODM members were summoned to a meeting at the State House.
Hussein Mohamed refuted a report stating that ODM leader Raila Odinga skipped a meeting with President William Ruto.
Press Statement on ‘Daily Nation’ misleading headline story:
We have taken note of the splash story in the 'Daily Nation' today Wednesday 11th September 2024, titled "Why Raila MPs skipped Ruto meeting." The story is not only misleading, but also mischievous and baseless.
The…— Hussein Mohamed, MBS. (@HusseinMohamedg) September 11, 2024Did you read this?
Mohamed dismissed the report as "misleading and irresponsible," arguing that proper procedures were not followed to verify the information. He advised the media to seek information through formal channels before publishing such stories.
However, Senator Sifuna, during an interview on Citizen TV, accused Mohamed of providing false information. He claimed to have evidence proving that ODM members were indeed called to the State House.
"The people like Hussein Mohamed at State House are lying. The invitation letters to ODM members are here," Sifuna stated. He called out Mohamed, saying their long-standing acquaintance didn’t justify misleading the public.
Sifuna also questioned the legal basis for these summons, arguing that the government cannot summon members of an opposing political party without following constitutional procedures.
"You cannot summon me to State House under whose authority? It’s not constitutionally provided," he said.
The Senator further emphasized that ODM remains in the opposition and has no formal partnership with the government, despite rumors circulating about certain ODM members receiving Cabinet Secretary positions.
He clarified that appointments, such as those of Opiyo Wandayi, Wycliffe Oparanya, and Hassan Joho, do not reflect the party’s political alignment.
Sifuna's comments have sparked further debate about the relationship between ODM and President Ruto’s administration, highlighting the tensions between the government and opposition parties.
