NAIROBI, Kenya — Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo has cautioned that Kenya’s broad-based government, while promoting unity and stability, is eroding parliamentary independence and weakening oversight of the executive.
Speaking on Spice FM, Otiende said the inclusive political arrangement, forged to bridge divisions after the 2022 elections, has inadvertently silenced critical scrutiny in the House.
“While the broad-based government is a good thing for this country, one of its unintended effects has been to reduce the level of scrutiny and opposition to bills that may not be good,” he said.
The senior ODM legislator noted that MPs who challenge certain government proposals are often branded as opponents of the unity framework.
“Some of us who raise questions during debate are immediately accused of being against the broad-based government. I’m one of them,” he said.
Otiende insisted that his support for the unity deal remains firm but stressed that Parliament must preserve its constitutional duty to hold the executive to account.
“The 10-point framework agreement does not say anywhere that we must support legislation and proposals even when they are wrong,” he added.
His remarks come amid growing debate over the implications of the “broad-based government” — a power-sharing arrangement between President William Ruto and the late ODM leader Raila Odinga, signed on March 7, 2025.
The deal, which brought together Kenya’s two largest political parties, UDA and ODM, was billed as a vehicle for political stability and national reconciliation after years of divisive politics.
At the signing, Raila described the agreement as a pact to “stabilise and save the country,” saying it sought to tackle Kenya’s deep-rooted social, economic, and political challenges.
“We have agreed to build our country rather than tear it down,” Raila said at the time, emphasizing that the pact was between ODM and UDA — not the broader Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
However, critics now warn that the expanded government has blurred the line between the executive and the opposition, leaving little room for dissent and weakening accountability mechanisms.
Supporters counter that the unity deal has brought calm to the political scene, reduced tensions, and fostered national cohesion after a bruising election period.
Still, Otiende Amollo’s warning underscores a growing concern that in seeking unity, Kenya may be trading away one of democracy’s most vital safeguards — effective parliamentary oversight.
