Africa-Press – Kenya. Former Kisumu county ODM party chairman Ayiecho Olweny has hinted at joining President William Ruto’s UDA party claiming to have been chased from the Raila Odinga-led party.
Olweny said he has been party-less for the last one year and should not be mistaken for having joined UDA.
The ex-assistant education minister and Muhoroni MP said he has never received answers from Raila as to why he was chased away from the party even after asking.
“I want to put the record straight. I am a former ODM chairman after being chased away on October 19, 2022, during a meeting at Ofafa hall. I did not attend that meeting alongside my committee when I was replaced,” he said.
The meeting, he said, where he ousted, was attended by ODM officials from the seven subcounties in Kisumu.
“Somebody should not claim that ODM chairman has decamped to the UDA party. I became party-less on October 19, 2022. I’ve been free for the last one year.”
Olweny said, “I was shocked when I learnt of being chased from the party as the chairman. I didn’t expect that.”
Speaking during a church service at Kasagam Secondary School attended by ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo, Olweny supported Ruto’s government saying he was ready to work with him.
“I was removed from the position of party chairman without my knowledge. I am still waiting for answers from Raila,” he said.
Before the church service, Olweny met Owalo at his home in Rarieda alongside former county ODM treasurer Achila Kasuku.
He rallied Nyanza residents behind Ruto’s government saying he was poised to rule for 10 years.
In the last general election, he said Raila was poised to become President but Ruto won. “We had all the opportunity and it slipped off our hands, it would be very difficult to win against Ruto in 2027.
He challenged the Luo community to explore other alternatives and work with the government of the day for development and prosperity.
“We should not have hopes on one person. We have tried for many years and failed,” he said.
He lauded Owalo for his tireless commitment towards development of the region and encouraged him to continue serving residents on matters of development.
Olweny said he supports the government for the benefit of the community and not personal gains.
“We must appreciate that someone else can be a leader, it doesn’t mean that it has to be Olweny. We were with Owalo in the ODM party and right now he is in the government,” he said.
Olweny added, “We have to embrace those given mandates in government to deliver development for our community. It does not have to be one individual all the time.”
He expressed confidence that Ruto’s government will deliver development agenda in the Nyanza region and the entire country.
“We are in total agreement with the leadership of Ruto and he is going to be President for 10 years because I don’t see any serious preparation to oust him. He is most likely to serve for two terms,” he said.
Owalo welcomed Olweny to the UDA party noting that President Ruto’s administration was inclusive and focused on national development.
Kisumu Central subcounty ODM party chairman Seth Ochieng alias Adui defended the party saying Olweny was replaced by Paul Akeyo over disloyalty.
He said the party was making realignment after it realised that Olweny had gone to bed the UDA party. Olweny, he said, was expelled alongside treasurer Kasuku Achila.
During the election of the Kisumu speaker, Ocheing said Olweny went against the party’s decision and endorsed former majority leader Samuel Ong’ow instead of speaker Elisha Oraro.
“The party is about fidelity, loyalty and promoting ideology of the party,” he said.
He termed Olweny a baggage to the party. “He is like an old player with multiple injuries who cannot be signed by any football club,”Ochieng said.
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