Wycliffe Oparanya has alleged that the Kenya Kwanza administration is employing corruption accusations against him as a means to compel him to change his political loyalty from Azimio leader Raila Odinga to President William Ruto.
According to the former Kakamega Governor, the government asked him to switch political allegiance during a raid carried out by officials from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission at his homes in Nairobi and Kakamega last week.
Speaking in Vihiga County, Oparanya claimed that President William Ruto wants him to play a pivotal role as his representative in the politically influential Western Kenya region. Oparanya stated that he was urged to help in promoting President Ruto within the region in anticipation of the 2027 elections.
“No amount of intimidation will make me abandon my loyalty to Raila Odinga, Kenya Kwanza wants me to join the government and abandon the opposition. Ruto has Mudavadi and Wetang’ula. Let him stick to them and leave me alone,” Oparanya said.
He suggested that the government’s actions of subjecting him to arrests and accusations of corruption are a form of harassment, driven by this political agenda.
Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi reiterated Oparanya’s sentiments.
Mr. Osotsi called on President Ruto to stop his efforts to secure political backing from the ODM deputy leader and rather concentrate on collaborating with Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula.
“I am the chairperson of the Public Accounts and Investments Committee in the Senate and I can say that I have gone through the audit reports and Oparanya is clean. So, anyone who wants information on how Oparanya used the funds should come and ask me. Those who wanted to arrest him have other motives and we want to tell them that we will remain steadfast in ODM,” said Osotsi.
