Nairobi — Kapsaret Member of Parliament Oscar Sudi has now announced he is taking two years sabbatical leave from Harambees and active politics saying it's now being used as a tool by his political detractors to malign and disparage his name.
The Kapseret MP said he supports President William Ruto's move to ban Harambees given the miniature thinking of majority of people that the contributed funds are proceeds of corruption.
On his social media page, Sudi was responding to Kakamega Senator Bonny Khalwale who questioned where he obtained Sh20 Million to dish out during church fundraising function weeks ago.
"I have taken leave because of jealous people like you. If God grants me grace then I decided to change my mind. I am one of the people who believe we should ban these Harambees because so many people don't know we get these Harambee, how we stress our business clients," Sudi said.
Sudi, who is deemed as President Ruto closest ally, threatened to quit politics saying his sabbatical leave will allow him to have a keen introspection on whether he should continue with Harambees in a bid to uplift communities.
"I am thinking even to quit politics because I am doing much in politics that what I am doing for myself. After one or two years if God grants me grace to return to active politics and Harambee, I will start with renovating the church Khalwale was questioning me from" he said.
This came even as President Ruto yesterday during a televised interview assured that Harambee culture needs to be banned lamenting it had morphed into an activity of showing opulence to the electorate.
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"We need to change the culture of Harambee. It started as a noble exercise it supported many people to go to school but I think it has stretched too far. We must stop harambees because it is breeding corruption," he said.
The Kapseret lawmaker hit out at Senator Khalwale for questioning his wealth defending his financial portfolio as a product of sheer hard work having worked since he was fourteen years old.
"Khalwale how can you be so educated and yet you speak lies in broad daylight. You don't believe that church faithful can join hands and contribute even Sh 50 Million. The problem with you is that you believe in witchcraft," Sudi stated.
"The contribution of Sh 20 Million wasn't from my pocket. The church had contributed Sh 14 Million then as leaders and friends we topped it up with Sh 6 Million. I started contributing to churches even before I became an MP," he added.
