ODM legislators urge Luo community to back Ruto and shun Gen-Z protests

A group of ODM legislators led by Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi has called on the Luo community to support the President William Ruto-led broad-based government arrangement and embrace ongoing development initiatives, arguing that the region is beginning to reap the benefits of years of political struggle and engagement with the national government.

In a joint statement addressed to the Luo nation on Wednesday, the lawmakers, including Lang’ata MP Felix Odiwuor, Nyatike MP Tom Odege, Nyando MP Jared Okello, and Mathare MP Antony Oluoch, said their primary responsibility as elected leaders is to secure development opportunities and resources for the people they represent.

Atandi said: “Our voters’ instructions to us were that we go to Parliament, where the national cake is being shared, fight for their share of that cake, and take to them whatever we are able to get.”

The lawmakers argued that for decades, the Nyanza region suffered marginalization and exclusion from key government programmes, tracing the challenge back to the period following the Kisumu massacre of 1969 and the assassination of Tom Mboya.

“Over the decades since independence, Kenya has had little or nothing to offer our people,” the statement said.

According to the legislators, the political environment has changed significantly under the broad-based government framework established through cooperation between President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga.

“Over the last two years since the coming of the broad-based government of President William Ruto, we have seen a change in government attitude towards our people,” they stated.

Atandi added: “The President has gone all out to engage our people, to mainstream them in government, roll out development projects in our region as in other regions, and treat us as Kenyans.”

Felix Odiwuor, popularly known as Jalang’o, said: “The compensation list is almost 90 percent our people, and we cannot continue like this. This is not our war. I request our people to stay away from tomorrow’s protest, maintain peace, and keep away.”

Jared Okello urged residents to avoid being drawn into demonstrations, saying: “Keep off. This may not be your war. You may be in other people’s games, and we are not ready to take that bite.”

The legislators maintained that after consulting residents across the region, they had received positive feedback regarding the government’s development efforts.

“As leaders, we have gone back to our people and reported that finally, there is something for them,” the statement said.

Using a metaphor to explain their position, Atandi said the changing political environment requires a corresponding shift in public attitudes.

“We have also told our people what they know only too well — that when the music changes, the dance must also change,” Atandi said.

The lawmakers urged residents to reciprocate what they described as government goodwill by supporting peace and development initiatives and rejecting violence and demonstrations.

“We are telling our people that the government has shown goodwill towards us. Let us show goodwill towards the government. As it has come to us with peace and projects, let us not respond with stones and protests. We are telling our people to refuse to be recruited to bite the hand that feeds us,” Atandi said.

The lawmakers also linked their message to the broader struggle against historical marginalization, noting that communities across Kenya, including those in the Coast, Northern Kenya, the Maa Nation, Turkana and the Abagusii regions, have similarly sought inclusion and equitable development.

Quoting scripture, Atandi said: “A time to plant and a time to uproot. A time to tear down and a time to build. A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.”

The lawmakers urged the Luo community to embrace peace and support government programmes aimed at improving livelihoods.

“This is our time for peace. This is our time for harvest. Embrace peace. Embrace the government,” Atandi said.