Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka has raised sharp concerns over the direction of the Orange Democratic Movement and the state of politics in Kenya, questioning both the high pay enjoyed by Members of Parliament and what he sees as a growing shift within his party toward government alignment. In a candid radio interview, he painted a picture of a political system that rewards leaders generously while, in his view, drifting away from the ideals that once defined ODM.
Speaking during a Radio Generation interview on Thursday, Onyonka openly discussed the earnings and benefits attached to his office, revealing the scale of parliamentary pay.
“Members of Parliament are the best paid in the world, my salary is about 833,000,” he said. “Before it was 1.2 million, then the taxes were brought in at 35 percent so it came down to 820 something, and that includes me running my car, the driver I have. I have to pay him, my PA. I have to pay him from that same money.”
He defended the pay and benefits, saying they are meant to allow lawmakers to carry out their duties without being desperate or tempted to engage in wrongdoing. According to him, proper pay helps leaders serve without hunger or compromise.
Onyonka also listed other benefits given to elected MPs. “When you win an election and come as a member of parliament, you are given a grant of 5 million, if you win the next election, you get another car,” he said.
He added that lawmakers can access housing loans, which are later deducted from their monthly salaries.
“Someone like me, I have just bought two, three houses, and one is where the people stay. It looks a lot, and yet in reality, it’s not.”
Even so, he expressed concern over the high cost of elections in Kenya, describing them as the most expensive in the whole of the African continent. He questioned why the public appears to accept the current levels of pay and campaign spending.
“If you didn’t accommodate me that way, how much is it that I must steal in order to be a good citizen, serving, doing public good?”
Beyond pay, the Senator turned his focus to ODM’s internal affairs, warning that the party is slowly taking a pro government path that risks pushing away its supporters.
“ODM has just become like all typical Kenyan families, suddenly people are branding pro-government,” he said, as he questioned why members who openly back the government continue to operate within ODM ranks.
He pointed to recent decisions made during the party’s National Delegates Convention in Mombasa on February 11, 2026. On the same day, the National Executive Committee met and resolved to remove Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna from his position as Secretary General, citing indiscipline and breach of party protocol.
“Whether they asked [Sifuna] to defend himself, I wouldn’t know. He should have come out in public. He didn’t do it. It’s a requirement.”
Following the decision, Deputy Secretary General Catherine Omanyo was named Acting Secretary General pending formal elections.
The move came amid rising tension within the party over its political direction, especially its relationship with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance and the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition. ODM has also started the process of withdrawing from the Azimio coalition, accusing it of breaching the original agreement.
Disciplinary measures have not been limited to one leader. Reports show that five MPs, Felix Odiwuor also known as Jalang’o, Tom Ojienda, Elisha Odhiambo, Caroli Omondi and Gideon Ochanda were earlier expelled following a National Executive Committee decision, while others faced fines over misconduct claims.
These developments followed months of internal disputes, including reports in January 2026 that Babu Owino had threatened to convene a parallel delegates meeting over concerns about delegate lists and internal elections. The disagreements revealed deep divisions over how the National Delegates Convention should shape the party’s future.
The Convention has since been rescheduled to March 27, 2026, where key resolutions are expected to be confirmed as the party sets its path toward the 2027 general election.
Onyonka lamented that ODM, once seen as a champion of justice, fairness and good governance, now appears to be losing touch with its founding values.
“Out of nowhere, I am now being told, some of our leaders are vacillating, the vice presidency seems acceptable, previously it was nothing short of the presidency,” he said, criticizing internal talks that he believes place personal interest above party belief.
He stressed that party supporters must remain at the center of major decisions. “There are things that people do politically, you forget that there is no party without its supporters,” Onyonka said.
He insisted that structures such as the National Delegates Convention should reflect the will of the people and not just the views of a few leaders.
Reflecting on the wider political space, he warned of a growing gap between leaders and citizens.
“We have not been given an opportunity to allow the public to come, give them an open field, let people fend, and yet we have a problem,” he said, urging openness and accountability.
“The direction they are taking is disturbing, ODM is branding pro-government while sidelining the public voice.
We must stand up and let the other side present their best,” he concluded.
