The move by ODM leader Raila Odinga to use a car with a government registration number when he presented Migori on Sunday has sparked online chat.
Although Suna East MP Junet Mohamed has confirmed that the car is the one he uses due to his minority status, Soy MP Caleb Kositany had a different idea.
In a text message on his Twitter account, the MP, who is a close ally of Deputy President William Ruto on Monday, said that using a government vehicle “Raila has started using government property towards the 2022 general election.”
“This is the fruit of my hand. Now ODM is completely governmental. Look at the car he is using, ”Kositany wrote and put a picture of the car next to the inscription.
He added; “Raila has now begun to be given government property to use in his campaigns towards the 2022 general election. Isn’t this a waste of government property?”
But Junet responded quickly by saying that the car, which Odinga had visited when he visited her at her home, was the one given to her for her use as a Minor Party in the National Assembly.
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“The car with the government registration number, GK was mine, I was given by the parliament due to my status as Kiranja of the Minorities. Raila was coming to my house and I used the car to transport him after he landed in Migori County by helicopter, ”Junet said in a statement.
According to parliamentary rules, MPs appointed to lead both parties (the majority side and the minority side) are provided with government vehicles by the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC).
They are; Majority Leader and his deputy and Kiranja of the majority and his deputy. Minority Leader and his deputy and Kiranja of Minorities and his deputy.
Apart from that, these MPs are given more prestigious offices in parliament buildings and more guards compared to other MPs who do not hold any leadership positions in parliament.
However, Mr Kositany’s statement continued to evoke mixed feelings among Twitter users.
Political analyst Barack Muluka said: “If Raila is happy and calm in the GK car, then we should not turn the issue into a debate. Let’s discuss important issues for Kenyans, ”he said.
However, leadership expert Nafula Kisiang’ani said Mr Odinga’s closeness to the government and his use of public resources were part of a strategy to enable him to succeed President Kenyatta in 2022.
