There have been reported cases of deaths in Turkana and Baringo counties due to starvation. The Deputy President William Ruto and by extension the government, insists that no one has died due to the drought ravaging the country.
It is shameful for a leader to deny the truth when people are saying that they are dying of hunger. Such a leader is an enemy of the people,” Mr Raila Odinga said.
Saying there is no harm in the government telling the truth about the drought situation, Mr Odinga said that when the country witnessed such a calamity in 2009 when he was Prime Minister, they owned up and immediately embarked on mitigation.
This week Dr Ruto, together with Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich, his counterparts Eugene Wamalwa (Devolution) and Simon Chelugui (Water), announced that some Sh2 billion was being channelled to deal with hunger.
He insisted that no Kenyan had actually died due to biting famine in at least 12 counties.
This is however contrary to reports from the ground which show cases of fatalities. Dr Ruto has since dismissed the death reports as fake news.
Mr Odinga was also in the region to drum up support for ODM candidate Mohamed Elmi ahead of the April 25 Wajir West by-election.
Prof Elmi will face off with Jubilee’s Ahmed Kolosh Mohamed, whose election was nullified by the Supreme Court. Mr Mohamed was elected on an ODM ticket in 2017.
Mr Odinga, invited for the fundraiser by Wajir Woman Representative Fatuma Gede, who is allied to Jubilee Party, said that after the political truce with President Uhuru Kenyatta, they will try to root out corruption once and for all for the benefit of citizens.
“We have agreed that no one involved in graft should be let off the hook, regardless of his position in government or in the opposition. They should all pay for their sins,” Mr Odinga said.
Mr Odinga was in the company of Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and Suna East MP Junet Mohamed.