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National Assembly majority leader Kimani Ichung’wa now says that creation of the office of opposition leader is not to appease Azimio leader Raila Odinga.
Speaking on Wednesday when he tabled President William Ruto’s proposal on embedding of the office in the Constitution, Ichung’wa said they are doing it for the future generations.
“I’m aware there are Kenyans who imagine this position is another way of appeasing a particular person or leader. Let me state for the record, this proposal is not to create a position either for former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, neither for Kalonzo Musyoka, or Martha Karua… This is a position we seek to create for posterity,” he said.
The Kikuyu MP said that most of their supporters are opposed to the move because they think it is a form of handshake, which is not the case.
He added what they want is to institutionalize the office of the leader of opposition leader, and to have a system that can hold government to account.
He further noted that it is a position that will in the end strengthen our democracy.
“I have seen our colleagues in the opposition struggle because the leadership they look up to is neither in this house or anywhere within the precincts of parliament to offer guidance to them on how to oversight and take government to account,” Ichung’wa said.
“Many of our supporters are opposed to this proposal or have a feeling that it is another form of handshake. I want to disabuse this notion. This position is not being created for anybody. It’s a position that will enrich and deepen our democracy.”
President William Ruto in correspondence to Parliament last year urged legislators to see to it the establishment of the office of the Leader of Opposition.
He insists that it is part of what will strengthen institutions of governance. BY THE STAR