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Tag: MP Elisha Odhiambo

  • Atandi says ODM not ready to field 2027 presidential candidate as party rifts widen

    Atandi says ODM not ready to field 2027 presidential candidate as party rifts widen

    The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) continues to grapple with widening internal rifts following the death of its leader Raila Odinga, with some of its MPs openly backing President William Ruto and questioning the party’s preparedness for the 2027 General Election.

    Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi says ODM is not ready to field a presidential candidate in the 2027 General Election, insisting that no leader within the party has the capacity to challenge President William Ruto.

    “There is nobody in ODM who can run for president as at now because Raila Odinga did not prepare anyone to run for president. If there is a leader who thinks he can run for president, come out and tell us whether you have the capacity to defeat President William Ruto,” Atandi said.

    Speaking during a church service in Kanyaluo ward, HomaBay County, the MP dismissed claims by some ODM politicians that the party was ready to field a candidate in 2027, saying those pushing that narrative are only out to create divisions within the party.

    “Some of these leaders who are claiming Raila Odinga did not say we endorse Ruto are tiny small leaders. ODM is not ready to field a presidential candidate in 2027. William Ruto is a former member of ODM. We have gone back to our former members to help us rejuvenate ODM,” he said.

    Atandi, who chairs the National Assembly Budget and Appropriations Committee, warned ODM members opposed to a coalition arrangement with Kenya Kwanza to leave the party, saying ODM has enough capable leaders to replace them.

    “If you think you can run for president, you will not use ODM, use your own party. I know some leaders who say that if ODM is going to sign a coalition agreement with President Ruto, they are going to exit. Please exit, we have so many leaders who can fit in your shoes,” he stated.

    Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo echoed Atandi’s remarks, insisting that the Luo community remains politically united behind President Ruto.

    He dismissed Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya’s attempts to influence the community’s political direction, describing him as an outsider with no authority to advise the Luo nation.

    “The Governor of Trans Nzoia came to Bondo with some funny-looking cows. Other than that, he has no authority to advise the Luo nation. When the people’s president passed on, he left us in Canaan with William Ruto. So Luos are not going anywhere, and Natembeya should know that as Luos, we are united behind President William Ruto,” Odhiambo said.

  • MP wants special team deployed to probe spate of murders in Gem

    MP wants special team deployed to probe spate of murders in Gem

    Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo has urged the Inspector General of Police to dispatch a special investigative team to probe a spate of unresolved murders targeting women and young girls in the constituency.

    Speaking at Mutumbu in Gem Yala Sub-county, the legislator expressed concern over the growing number of killings warning that residents are living in fear as police appear overwhelmed.

    “It is deeply worrying that more innocent girls and members of the public continue to fall victim to what appears to be either a serial killer or an organized gang. Meanwhile, the police seem helpless,” said Odhiambo.

    His remarks follow the recent murders of Veronica Odongo, a widow, and Elizabeth Achieng, a Form Two student from East Gem, who were killed three days ago. Two months earlier, two other schoolgirls were murdered in the Mindhine and Muhanda areas.

    “We cannot continue this way,” the MP said. “I am appealing to all of us to volunteer information that can help protect our people.”

    Odhiambo called for the urgent deployment of the Special Crimes Prevention Unit to Sagam, Sinaga, and East Gem, areas he described as having become hotspots for criminal activity.

    He revealed that he had already met with top security officials in Siaya County and had agreed to engage special units from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to help contain the insecurity.

    “We cannot be in a constituency where people are slaughtered like chicken, not under my watch. The perpetrators’ days are numbered,” he warned. “This week, something must happen.”

    The MP urged residents to report suspicious activity to the police or local administrators and added, “If you can’t give the information to them, bring it to me and I will deal with it.”

    He further appealed to the national government to deploy more police officers to the region, saying officers transferred from Gem had not been replaced.

    At the same time, Odhiambo criticised local police for focusing too much on cracking down on illicit brews at the expense of addressing more serious security threats.

    “They must concentrate on their core mandate, protecting lives. The obsession with illicit liquor raids is making them forget their responsibility to keep our people safe,” he said.

  • Teachers urged to postpone strike, await passage of revised finance bill

    Teachers urged to postpone strike, await passage of revised finance bill

    Teachers across the country have been urged to postpone their planned strike and give both the government and parliament time to pass a reviewed finance bill that will include provisions for their salary increment.

    Gem Member of Parliament, Elisha Odhiambo stated that that the government has limited options at the moment following the rejection of Finance Bill 2024 and the subsequent dismissal of the 2023 Finance Bill by the courts.

    Speaking at Nyangulu secondary school in East Gem ward, where he handed over a new school bus, Odhiambo appealed to teachers moderate their demands and allow parliament to discharge its mandate.

    “I want to ask teachers. Let us take things slowly. Allow us as parliament to pass the reviewed finance bill 2024 and you will be paid in arrears” said Odhiambo during the event, which was also attended by Gem Yala Deputy County Commissioner, John Otieno.

    The lawmaker noted that no country can function without taxes and assured that parliament would ensure the controversial proposed taxes, which sparked the recent protests would not be included in the revised finance bill.

    “The only taxes we disagreed with were those on bread and sanitary pads,” he said expressing optimism that the new Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi would soon present a reviewed bill acceptable to all Kenyans.

    The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has issued a strike notice to the Teachers Service Commission saying industrial action will commence on August 26 if the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is not implemented.

    Issues in the CBA include the conversion of Junior Secondary School teachers and recruitment of 20,000 teachers on permanent and pensionable terms.

    The union has also accused TSC of breaching the agreement for failing to implement the second phase of the Addendum effective from July 1, 2024, for all teachers, including basic salaries and allowances.