By Ben Okweingoti
Leaders allied to the Orange Democratic Movement’s (ODM) Linda Ground brigade from the Coast region on Thursday held a joint political meeting with their United Democratic Alliance (UDA) counterparts in Magarini Sub-County, Kilifi County, where they called for peace, unity and support for President William Ruto’s administration.
The leaders, led by ODM Deputy Party Leader and Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir and Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro, were joined by President Ruto’s aide Farouk Kibet, National Assembly Deputy Majority Leader and Kilifi North MP Owen Baya, among other leaders, during a fundraising event aimed at empowering youth and women groups in the area.
Addressing residents during the meeting, Farouk Kibet urged Coast residents to rally behind President William Ruto, saying the Head of State remained politically strong ahead of the next General Election.
He argued that the opposition lacked unity and therefore posed no serious challenge to the President’s re-election bid.
Farouk also appealed to supporters of both ODM and UDA to embrace unity and avoid political divisions based on party affiliations.
“I would love if all of us in UDA and ODM start calling each other government instead of sticking to our parties because that way, we will guide our supporters to unity,” he said.
The meeting comes just days after recent opinion polls showed growing dissatisfaction among Kenyans over the broad-based government arrangement between ODM and the Kenya Kwanza administration.
The surveys also indicated increasing support for the ODM faction opposed to the arrangement, commonly referred to as the Linda Mwananchi group, led by Siaya Senator James Orengo, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino.
Despite the criticism, Farouk maintained that President Ruto continued to enjoy majority support across the country.
“You all saw in the recent opinion polls that the president was still the favourite to a majority of Kenyans and we will continue selling his policies and taking development to once marginalized areas so that they can also feel that they are part of Kenya,” he added.
Governor Mung’aro reaffirmed ODM’s cooperation with President Ruto’s administration, insisting that the party had no intention of returning to the opposition benches.
“We left opposition when Baba took us to Ruto and we recognize where he left us,” said the governor, in reference to ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Likuyani MP Innocent Mugabe defended the government over rising fuel prices, accusing opposition leaders of politicizing the issue.
He argued that the increase in fuel costs was part of a global crisis and noted that the government had taken measures to cushion Kenyans by reducing Value Added Tax (VAT) on fuel imports.
“Those who are calling press conferences to complain about the cost of fuel should understand that it is a global crisis and we pray that America and Iran stop fighting so that the world crisis can be solved,” he said.
