Edwin Sifuna Intensifies Criticism of Ruto Government After Bungoma Address
ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna Steps Up Criticism of Ruto’s Government
ODM Secretary General, and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna is once again hammering home his criticism of President William Ruto’s administration, slamming the Kenya Kwanza government for messing up on just about everything – safety, economic management and public health preparedness.
At Mzee Patrick Wangamati’s burial in Bungoma, the outspoken senator brought up old wounds from the 2022 General Election campaigns, and also had some choice words about the devastating Utumishi Girls School fire and the goings on with regard to Kenya’s Ebola readiness.
Sifuna Revives Demolition Claims at Bungoma Burial
Speaking at the funeral, Sifuna brought up the pain that Elder Wangamati went through as a result of the demolition of his property during the 2022 campaign season.
“That poor man (Wangamati) didn’t have a good time for a long while after William Ruto and his chaps – like Didmus Barasa – came in and tore down his house. We were all promised no house demolitions and that they would find a ‘win-win’ solution but, lo and behold, they tore down Wangamati’s building in Bungoma just out of spite” he told the mourners.
His words sent the debate about past demolitions careening right back onto centre stage where it was a big bone of contention during the election season.
Utumishi Girls Fire Sparks Tough Questions
Sifuna also talked about that heart-wrenching fire at Utumishi Girls School – a tragedy that has left our country in shock after 16 students are believed to have lost their lives.
From what the senator could gather, initial reports on the incident bring up all sorts of issues about how safe students are and whether or not the boarding school is following its own regulations.
“And to make matters worse, we are all still here in Bungoma mourning the tragedy at Utumishi School while we also have reports that 200 kids were crammed into a dorm meant for 100, the door was locked and the person with the key was nowhere to be found. Where was the Ministry of Education I ask you? Where was it in ensuring our kids are safe in school”
The tragedy has really put a spotlight on all the issues going on in public boarding schools – particularly about overcrowding and whether the infrastructure is up to scratch.
Senate Probe Push Gains Momentum
In the wake of the fire, Sifuna announced he will be dusting off a plan to get the Senate to do a probe on conditions in public boarding schools.
The Nairobi senator said he plans on bringing back a motion that calls for the formation of a Senate Select Committee to find out just what’s going on with overcrowding & crumbling infrastructure in these institutions after yet another series of unrest incidents have broken out in different parts of the country.
But that’s not the only thing going on – the Ministry of Education has confirmed that eight students are being taken in for questioning about their alleged role in the arson attack at Utumishi Girls Senior Secondary (yes that’s what they think actually happened) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations is also wanting to have a word with two teachers who it’s been said had been told by learners that there could be trouble but decided to do nothing about it.
Ebola Reports Draw Sharp Criticism
Beyond the education front Sifuna took aim at reports that suggest Kenya might be hosting Ebola patients from the United States.
The ODM Secretary-General poured cold water on the notion that Kenya’s got what it takes to deal with such a move, pointing out the health challenges that are already straining our resources and those recent travel restrictions that have really bitten hard on countries trying to get to grips with Ebola.
“Now we hear America is actually refusing entry to its own citizens who have Ebola. And yet one bloke in Kenya is suggesting we should just import the lot because he’s been given some cash. Well I’ve got news for William Ruto – we’re not having it. You can’t bring in a disease as serious as Ebola when you’re still struggling to sort out even malaria or bilharzia, which are still killing off our people on the quiet”
All this comes at a time when public talk is getting pretty heated about just how prepared Kenya really is to deal with health emergencies and whether we’ve got the right systems in place to keep diseases from spreading regionally.
Economic Hardships Fuel Calls for Political Change
Sifuna wrapped up his comments by hammering home the point that what’s really at the root of all these problems are the failures of the current government. He argued that ordinary Kenyans are struggling because of the bad decisions being made by those in power.
He brought up the whole issue of farmers in western Kenya, complaining that red tape and corruption are just making it harder and harder for them to earn a living.
“Thing is I reckon if William Ruto were to step down we’d be sorted – that is 80 percent of our problems would sort themselves out. I mean for example down in Nzoia farmers now need permits to cut their own sugarcane – and of course they have to pay bribes for the privilege – meanwhile our warehouses are full to the brim with imported sugar and no one seems to care about giving our local crops a decent shot”
All this just adds to the growing tensions between the opposition and the government – the opposition are really dug in and criticising the government on just about everything from how they run the economy to public services and governance.
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Edwin Sifuna Intensifies Criticism of Ruto Government After Bungoma Address
