Editor's Review

"He runs the Ford Kenya party like an echo chamber of a fiefdom where dissent is not allowed and his word is law; hardly the image of democracy he preaches to us,” Sifuna said.

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has fired back at National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula over his remarks on the expulsion of five ODM MPs.

This comes after the speaker lashed out at the ODM party accusing it of sabotaging democracy.

Wetang'ula who spoke in Luo Nyanza said all elected leaders have the right to work with the government of the Day in delivering services.

“We want to tell all elected leaders that the door to work with government for development is open as long as it is done in a Constitutional manner. The same frustrations meted to those leaders also happened to us,” he said.

The remarks came after the ODM party expelled five ODM Mps for associating with President William Ruto.

The MPs are Elisha Odhiambo (Gem), Caroli Omondi (Suba South), Gideon Ochanda (Bondo), Phelix Odiwuor (Lang’ata) and Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda.

Speaker Edwin Sifuna. IMAGE/FILE

But in a rejoinder, Sifuna told off Wetang'ula saying he should focus on his mandate as the Speaker of the National Assembly.

He told the speaker that he should now be a neutral arbiter on issues affecting political parties instead of taking a partisan stand.

“If Wetang’ula feels constrained to speak, we challenge him to lay down the instruments and garb of the office of the Speaker and meet us on the political platform like any other politician, so that we can take on him as we have effectively done in the past,” Sifuna said.

“Wetang’ula is at liberty to advise his rebel friends to cross the floor, even to his own Ford Kenya party, so that the people can have a second chance at the ballot to elect those who still hold the ideals of ODM to heart.”

At the same time, the Senator accused the Speaker of pointing fingers at the ODM party yet his own Ford Kenya outfit has questionable issues because of his leadership.

"He runs the party like an echo chamber of a fiefdom where dissent is not allowed and his word is law; hardly the image of democracy he preaches to us,” Sifuna said.