Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has elucidated the reasons behind his conspicuous absence at President William Ruto’s inaugural State of the Nation address, emphasizing his fundamental distrust in the head of state’s ability to provide an accurate depiction of the nation’s status.
Speaking on Thursday, the Secretary-General of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) declared that, in his view, the State of the Nation is about the people and not mere rhetoric. Sifuna candidly stated on Citizen TV, “I did not trust William Ruto to paint the true status of the nation because of his history.”
Sifuna specifically pointed to an incident where Ruto publicly declared the completion of a road in his village, only for the Senator to find the opposite when he visited.
This history of unfulfilled promises, according to Sifuna, contributed to his skepticism about the accuracy of Ruto’s address.
Explaining his decision further, Sifuna noted that the protocol in Parliament, where Senators and MPs listen to the address in silence, would not allow him to confront untruths actively.
“I don’t know how to sit and keep silent when I hear things which are not true,” he asserted.
In a previous post on his platform, Sifuna had declared his intention to boycott the State of the Nation address, expressing reservations about Ruto’s credibility.
“Ruto cannot be trusted to paint the true picture of the State of the Nation, which, as you know, is dire. I cannot sit quietly listening to lies,” the post stated.
President Ruto delivered his first State of the Nation address last week, addressing the nation’s challenges, including the soaring cost of living.
The absence of Senator Sifuna highlighted the growing dissent and skepticism among political figures, raising questions about the transparency and credibility of the presidential address in the eyes of some lawmakers.
