Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) legislator Samuel Arama now says he has broken ranks with CORD leader Raila Odinga.
The Nakuru Town West MP was among 500 local leaders who attended a meeting at State House, Nakuru on Thursday and said he had decided to chart a different political path away from the ODM leader. “My presence here today is confirmation that I will be joining Jubilee in 2017,” said Mr Arama.
Arama is the only elected Opposition leader in the county and his argument has been that the people he represents have benefited greatly from President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration. During the meeting, Deputy President William Ruto introduced Arama to the crowd, describing him as a leader who has outlived party politics. “Tuko na Mheshimiwa Arama hapa na yeye anataka kufanya kazi na serikali ya Jubilee (We are joined by Hon Arama in this meeting and he has expressed his willingness to work with the Jubilee Government,” he said.
The meeting was attended by all elected leaders except Rongai’s Raymond Moi and his Kuresoi South counterpart Zakayo Cheruiyot. Kanu’s Moses Cheboi was in attendance despite his party involvement in the rebellion against the DP in Rift Valley. Ruto said the Government was ready to take on board any leader determined to unite the country and focus on development.
When addressing the gathering, Arama appealed to the President and his Deputy to tarmac a six kilometre road in his constituency to complement another road project initiated under the Kenya Informal Settlement Improvement Project (KISIP). The legislator said the KISIP project has transformed the area by upgrading roads and constructing schools. In 2014, the MP was among four legislators that ODM removed from committees in the National Assembly for being rebellious.
Local ODM officials termed Arama’s move inconsequential, saying he left the party long ago. “We will be waiting for Arama in 2017 at the ballot and prove his decision unwise,” said Hilton Abiola, the party’s county secretary.
