Kenya Insights

Tag: Edwin Sifuna

  • Itumbi Claims Kalonzo Has Settled on Sifuna as Running Mate

    Itumbi Claims Kalonzo Has Settled on Sifuna as Running Mate

    NAIROBI, June 10, 2026 — President William Ruto’s digital strategist Dennis Itumbi has sparked fresh political debate after claiming that Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka has settled on Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna as his preferred running mate for the 2027 General Election.

    In a lengthy open letter circulated on social media and addressed to a figure he referred to as “Jofri”, a name widely interpreted in political circles as a reference to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Itumbi laid out what he described as the opposition’s emerging political strategy ahead of the next election.

    According to Itumbi, Kalonzo and Sifuna are expected to lead a coalition under the banner of the Ukombozi Linda Mwananchi Alliance, bringing together Kalonzo’s Komboa Kenya campaign and Sifuna’s Linda Mwananchi movement.

    The strategist further alleged that the opposition has already identified key candidates for Nairobi’s top elective seats.

    He claimed Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has been earmarked for the Nairobi governor race, while former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Irungu Nyakera is being considered for the Senate seat.

    In a pointed attack on Gachagua, Itumbi claimed the opposition leadership had rejected advice allegedly advocating for a Kikuyu candidate in the Nairobi governor contest, suggesting growing tensions over the direction of opposition politics and the role of the Mount Kenya region within the coalition.

    The most serious allegations in Itumbi’s statement concerned the planned protests scheduled for June 24 and June 25, as well as the anticipated Saba Saba demonstrations.

    Without providing evidence, Itumbi accused Gachagua of being the architect of the planned protests and claimed the former deputy president follows a recurring pattern of distancing himself from events when demonstrations turn chaotic.

    The allegations are likely to intensify an already heated political environment as opposition leaders continue to mobilise supporters against the Kenya Kwanza administration.

    Neither Kalonzo, Sifuna nor Gachagua had publicly responded to Itumbi’s claims by Wednesday evening.

    The remarks come at a time of heightened political activity within opposition ranks. Kalonzo recently intensified his Komboa Kenya campaign, signalling his intention to mount another presidential bid, while Sifuna and allies associated with the Linda Mwananchi movement have been conducting political rallies across several regions.

    Political observers view Itumbi’s intervention as part of the increasingly aggressive battle for narrative control ahead of 2027.

    While some interpret the claims as an attempt to expose and potentially destabilise opposition plans, others argue the level of detail contained in the statement suggests deep knowledge of ongoing discussions within rival political camps.

    The claims also place fresh pressure on Gachagua, who has been seeking to consolidate support following his fallout with President Ruto and subsequent impeachment battles.

    Whether Itumbi’s assertions reflect genuine political realignments or form part of a broader contest for public opinion remains unclear. What is certain is that the statement has injected fresh intrigue into an opposition landscape that is still taking shape more than a year before the next General Election.

  • Sibling Rivalry? Cracks Emerge Within Linda Mwananchi

    Sibling Rivalry? Cracks Emerge Within Linda Mwananchi

    What began as a spirited rebellion against President William Ruto’s broad-based government experiment and ODM’s perceived drift from its founding ideals is now exposing the familiar fault lines of Kenyan opposition politics.

    The Linda Mwananchi movement, which attracted large crowds to rallies in Nakuru, Kisumu, Mombasa and other towns, is increasingly grappling with an identity crisis. At the heart of the debate is a growing tension between collective resistance and individual political ambition. Despite repeated public declarations of unity, signs of strain are becoming harder to ignore.

    Embakasi East MP Babu Owino moved swiftly this week to dismiss speculation about a fallout with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna. Speaking in an interview with Namlolwe FM, Owino insisted that the two leaders are pursuing different political paths. According to him, Sifuna is focused on a future presidential bid, while he is eyeing the Nairobi governorship in 2027 before eventually seeking the presidency in 2032.

    “There is no conflict between us,” Owino said.

    Yet the same interview revealed frustrations that have simmered beneath the surface for years. Owino recounted how he allegedly had to threaten chaos at Orange House in 2017 to secure an ODM ticket. He spoke of fighting legal battles after his election victory was nullified and claimed he received the party ticket for the 2022 elections only two days before the primaries.

    He also accused Dr Oburu Oginga of failing to convene a delegates’ conference for fresh ODM elections and declared that he would never again serve under another party leader. According to Owino, Raila Odinga would be the last leader under whom he served politically.

    Those are hardly the words of a politician content with a supporting role.

    Owino also reminded listeners that he played a central role in organising and mobilising the massive Linda Mwananchi rally in Kisumu, a remark many interpreted as an assertion of influence within the movement at a time when Sifuna’s profile appears to be rising fastest.

    A TIFA survey released in May appeared to underscore that reality. The poll showed Owino’s national support within the Linda Mwananchi camp dropping from 8 percent to 2 percent, while Sifuna registered 10 percent nationally and emerged as one of the movement’s strongest performers in Western Kenya.

    The emerging tensions are not only personal. They are also strategic.

    Sifuna has consistently argued that defeating an incumbent president will require a united opposition front. His willingness to engage with the emerging opposition alliance associated with Rigathi Gachagua and Kalonzo Musyoka has positioned him as a possible kingmaker or running mate in a broader coalition arrangement.

    Siaya Governor James Orengo has taken a different approach. He has doubled down on the idea of reclaiming ODM from within, presenting himself as the party’s de facto leader and signalling readiness for a presidential run. For Orengo, the battle is ideological as much as it is electoral.

    Saboti MP Caleb Amisi has added a generational dimension to the debate by openly describing Sifuna as the most credible presidential prospect among younger leaders. He has questioned whether veteran politicians such as Orengo can generate the level of excitement needed to mount a serious challenge against Ruto.

    Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s longtime ally Caroli Omondi has gone even further, warning that ODM faces an ideological split between the Linda Mwananchi wing and the Oburu-aligned “Linda Ground” faction. Omondi has even referenced Raila’s dramatic departure from Ford-Kenya in 1996 as a possible blueprint should ODM abandon what he views as its founding principles.

    The Registrar of Political Parties’ decision to reject attempts to register the Linda Mwananchi Party of Kenya only highlighted the movement’s uncertainty without resolving it. Although key leaders opposed the registration bid, the episode exposed the lack of consensus on the movement’s future direction.

    Should Linda Mwananchi become a political party? Should it remain a pressure group? Or should it merge into a broader opposition coalition?

    Those questions remain unanswered.

    Political analysts argue that the current turbulence is predictable. Many personality-driven political movements enjoy rapid growth during periods of public anger but struggle once they are forced to develop structures, define leadership hierarchies and identify candidates for elective office.

    For a movement that gained momentum through public frustration over taxation, the rising cost of living and perceived opposition compromises, the internal power struggles carry significant risks.

    Meanwhile, the evolving relationship between the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) and Wiper has already complicated calculations in Nairobi. Their cooperation is widely viewed as a potential obstacle to Owino’s gubernatorial ambitions, particularly with reports that some influential figures favour Embakasi North MP James Gakuya for the city’s top seat.

    Every day spent managing internal rivalries and positioning for 2027 is a day the broader opposition risks failing to present a coherent alternative to Ruto’s re-election campaign.

    Public denials of discord are understandable. Few within the movement would want to hand the government an early political victory by openly acknowledging divisions.

    Yet polling trends, public statements and competing visions for the future tell a more complicated story.

    What once appeared to be a brotherhood forged in anti-government rallies is increasingly looking like a contest over leadership, influence and political succession. The real test for Linda Mwananchi may not be whether it can mobilise crowds, but whether it can prevent personal ambitions from eclipsing its founding mission of championing ordinary citizens.

    Kenyan voters have seen similar stories unfold before. The question now is whether Linda Mwananchi can rewrite the script before today’s cracks become tomorrow’s craters.

  • Raila Aide Drops Bombshell: Babu Owino Was Never Part Of ‘Jeshi Ya Baba’ Exit Plan

    Raila Aide Drops Bombshell: Babu Owino Was Never Part Of ‘Jeshi Ya Baba’ Exit Plan

    Dennis Onyango, the man who served as Raila Odinga’s press secretary and personal spokesman for decades, has fired a political grenade into the heart of the post-Raila succession battle, revealing in explosive detail that Embakasi East MP Babu Owino was never part of the late opposition chief’s carefully constructed exit strategy from the broad-based government arrangement with President William Ruto.

    Speaking on Citizen TV’s Monday Report on March 30, Onyango did not mince words.

    While confirming that Senate Minority Leader James Orengo and ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna were deliberate fixtures in Raila’s contingency architecture, he drew a sharp, categorical line at the politician who has been loudest in claiming Baba’s mantle.

    “He never had Babu anywhere in his thinking. He thought he was going to be a trouble,” Onyango said of the Nairobi lawmaker who has publicly declared, “baada ya Baba ni Babu.”

    The disclosure strips Owino of an aura he has been cultivating since Raila’s death, one that positioned him alongside Sifuna and Orengo as the vanguard of the “Jeshi ya Baba” militant resistance.

    Onyango had earlier, in February, affirmed that Raila never named a preferred successor, trusting party institutions to determine who would emerge.  Monday’s interview went further, explicitly separating the wheat from the chaff.

    Onyango’s revelations build directly on disclosures made days earlier by Raila’s former legal advisor Paul Mwangi.

    Mwangi, speaking in an exclusive interview on Saturday, March 28, claimed that Raila deliberately positioned Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna as an “exit plan” while cooperating with President William Ruto, carefully structuring his political moves to ensure he was never boxed into a single corner. 

    Mwangi described the current ODM internal turmoil as a clash between two factions that have long coexisted within Raila’s orbit: a “political-diplomatic” wing and a “militant” wing, arguing that both sides legitimately reflect different aspects of his leadership style. 

    Raila, Mwangi insisted, would never engage in anything without an exit strategy. If things did not work out, or if there was a clash on the cooperative side, he would turn to the militant faction and rally them as a fallback. 

    Onyango on Monday confirmed that logic, then added the crucial asterisk that Mwangi had left hanging. Yes, Sifuna and Orengo were part of the plan. Babu was not. He was a liability calculation, not a strategic asset.

    The timing is devastating for Owino.

    In February, he had told a local TV station that Raila’s final message was that ODM must produce a presidential candidate and should not be fully in the broad-based government, presenting himself as the faithful interpreter of Baba’s vision.  He has also publicly declared his interest in the ODM party leadership.

    Onyango’s assessment now positions Owino as a man freelancing on a brand that its owner apparently never fully endorsed for him.

    The broader context in which these disclosures land is one of acute ODM crisis.

    Dr Oburu Oginga, who ascended to the party leadership following Raila’s death, has staked his authority on institutional consolidation, signalling he will not seek elective office in 2027 but will instead serve as a custodian of the movement. 

    That transition, however, has been anything but smooth. At the Linda Mwananchi faction’s parallel “People’s NDC” at Ufungamano House on March 27, Sifuna openly rejected serving under the new leadership structure, declaring he would not be “the SG of mediocrity” and telling Oburu to find his own Secretary-General. 

    Sifuna, who appeared to have accepted his fate after his ouster, drew a firm line against serving under what he called a new leadership lacking credibility, while honoring his tenure under Raila as the greatest privilege of his political life. 

    The Ufungamano meeting was briefly disrupted when police officers attempted to gain access to the venue, prompting Sifuna to appeal for calm and challenge the officers directly from the podium. 

    The layered disclosures illuminate, perhaps more vividly than any previous account, the architecture of Raila’s political genius.

    He maintained parallel power centres, ensured no single alliance left him without leverage, and ran a diplomatic track alongside a militant one.

    Both the pro-Ruto and anti-Ruto camps within ODM have claimed to represent Raila’s wishes, with outcomes likely to have far-reaching ramifications on the political landscape heading to 2027. 

    What Onyango has now clarified is that not everyone who claimed a seat at that table was actually invited.

    For Babu Owino, the revelation is more than a bruised ego moment.

    It lands as he positions himself as a credible Nairobi gubernatorial aspirant and potential ODM party leader, ambitions that depend substantially on the legitimacy that Raila’s posthumous endorsement, real or implied, confers.

    That endorsement, according to the man who knew Raila best, was never there.

    The question now roiling ODM’s corridors is who will inherit the militant faction’s street firepower, and whether Sifuna and Orengo, the two figures Raila actually trusted with his escape hatch, can harness that energy without the maestro who designed the trap.

  • Sifuna’s Kakamega Rally Refuses To Fold Despite Teargas, State Push-Back

    Sifuna’s Kakamega Rally Refuses To Fold Despite Teargas, State Push-Back

    NAIROBI, Kenya Feb 21- In politics, opposition rallies rarely begin with anticipation of speeches. They begin with suspense on whether actually they will materialize.

    On Saturday, the Linda Mwananchi rally at Amalemba grounds in Kakamega led by embattled Orange Democratic Movement secretary general Edwin Sifuna was clouded by uncertainties.

    In the hours before the rally, Western Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamud told journalists that police had not been formally notified about the gathering and had only seen posters circulating on social media.

    “We will use all force to maintain peace. We will not accept lawlessness here. We cannot accept our country to go to the dogs,” he said.

    On 19th February, Sifuna has confirmed that he has officially notified Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen about his upcoming Linda Mwanachi Kakamega rally.

    Speaking on the floor of the Senate, he said that he had already sent the notification for the Kakamega rally to the Kakamega OCPD and that he was going to send the same notification to the Senate WhatsApp group.

    “By the way, that individual called Murkomen is still on the Senate WhatsApp group because he is a former senator. In fact, I have taken advantage of that. Yesterday I saw him say that he was not aware that we were going to Kitengela,”

    “I have sent a notification on the Kakamega rally that we have made to the OCPD of Kakamega to his WhatsApp number, and I am going to send it to the Senate WhatsApp group because he reads our messages there,” noted Sifuna.

    In a move that would actually derail the crowd from attending the political rally, Mahoud further claimed that security agencies had received intelligence suggesting that some individuals planning to attend the rally could be armed.

    “We have every kind of information. We are even told people who are coming from as far as Nairobi who are armed with rifles. That is what we have been told. That group who want to make a rally, they are armed, they said they don’t need the police,” he alleged.

    Teargas Disruption

    Even before the Linda Mwananchi Movement leaders made their way to Amalemba grounds, teargas were already billowing.

    Teargas canisters  were lobbed at event organisers ahead of the rally scheduled in Kakamega County today.

    Tension began building early in the morning as small groups of rowdy youths were seen uprooting and setting ablaze road reflectors near Amalemba Grounds, where the rally was scheduled to take place.

    At around 9:00am, a teargas canister was lobbed toward the venue, triggering panic among sections of the crowd. Some attendees responded by hurling stones, escalating the standoff.

    As the situation grew volatile, groups of young men organised themselves along key access roads leading to the grounds. They mounted informal barricades, stopping and inspecting vehicles headed toward the rally site in what appeared to be an attempt to control who accessed the area.

    Elsewhere in Kakamega town, rival political energies were also on display. Youths allied to the broad-based government cruised through the streets atop trucks and motorbikes, chanting slogans and waving placards emblazoned with the words “Two Tutam,” adding another layer of theatre to an already charged morning.

    Sea of Humanity

    Even so, Sifuna led the Linda Mwananchi team to a massive turnout in Kakamega, drawing a sea of supporters to the town ahead of their highly anticipated rally.

    Sifuna’s convoy wound its way through Kakamega town en route to Amalemba Grounds, with throngs of supporters lining the streets, chanting slogans and waving party flags.

    The atmosphere was electric, as Sifuna and Babu Owino stood atop their vehicles, greeting the crowd while music blared from speakers. The popular anthem “Jeshi la Baba” sent supporters into a frenzy, with cheers and waves echoing across the streets.

    He was joined by a host of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) stalwarts, including James Orengo Caleb Amisi Richard Onyonka Brian Lishenga Jack Wamboka and Majimbo Kalasinga.

    Undettered Crowd

    But the smooth flow of the rally would soon be disrupted as soon as the Nairobi Senator took to the podium. Despite Siaya Governor James Orengo and Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi having uninterrupted speech to the crowd, the rally was almost disrupted when Sifuna took to the podium.

    Teargas canisters arced into the gathering, landing near the stage and within the crowd. White clouds spread quickly across the dias.

    Sifuna had barely risen to offer his opening remarks when canisters landed near the dais, sending thick white plumes billowing into the crowd. Supporters scattered in panic, running in all directions to escape the choking fumes.

    Amid the chaos, Sifuna vowed the meeting would proceed despite the disruption.

    “This meeting will not be disrupted as they did in Kitengela. We will extinguish it like bhang in prison. This meeting will not be disrupted, it will not end,” he declared.

    He urged supporters to remain calm and avoid confrontation with police.

    “Young people, don’t throw stones at them. We will extinguish this teargas like bhang and continue with this meeting,” he said.

    Soon after the Supporters regrouped as others tried to attack individual suspected to disrupt the meeting by lobbying teargas.

    Sifuna urged supporters not to throw stones, not to retaliate, and not to scatter. The meeting, he insisted, would continue. The ODM Secretary General insisted if  the aim was to disperse them, that wouldn’t happen.

    Kitengela Mayhem

    Just days earlier in Kitengela, a similar gathering had ended in chaos after police fired teargas and live bullets as a young man lost his life.

    Chaos erupted on Sunday when police fired teargas at a gathering in Kitengela as Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and other leaders addressed supporters.

    The disruption came shortly after Sifuna introduced fellow leaders who had joined him at the rally. Despite the upheaval, Sifuna later thanked the residents of Kitengela for turning out and urged them to remain steadfast.

    “Thank you, Kitengela. Despite all the harassment, intimidation, and violence this morning, you showed up. They first destroyed our dais and sound equipment, and now state operatives have teargassed a peaceful assembly, bringing it to an abrupt end. We shall not relent,” Sifuna said.

    When the first teargas canister was thrown, Sifuna called on the crowd to stay calm while trying to figure out who was disrupting the rally. More canisters followed, sending crowds scattering in all directions. Boda boda riders and residents quickly sought safety as the situation became chaotic.

    The rally ended abruptly, with leaders leaving the scene while supporters dispersed across the town.

    Sifuna condemned the heavy-handed response, saying security officers and hired personnel used excessive force against peaceful attendees. He also vowed to pursue justice for Vincent Ayomo, who was allegedly shot dead during the gathering.

    “We will pursue justice for his family and ensure those responsible for his death are held accountable,” Sifuna said.

  • Police Commander Alleges Sifuna Transported Armed Goons to Fuel Tensions at Kakamega Rally

    Police Commander Alleges Sifuna Transported Armed Goons to Fuel Tensions at Kakamega Rally

    The Sifuna Kakamega Rally has escalated into a high-stakes political and security confrontation after Western Region Police Commander Issa Mahmoud alleged that Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna intends to ferry armed individuals from Nairobi to Kakamega ahead of the planned gathering at Amalemba Grounds.

    The claims, delivered publicly and without hesitation, have injected fresh tension into an already charged political atmosphere. As both sides dig in, the unfolding standoff now tests the limits of political mobilization, state authority, and public order in Western Kenya.

    Police Commander Alleges Sifuna Transported Armed Goons to Fuel Tensions at Kakamega Rally
    Edwin Sifuna’s Kakamega rally has become a defining moment that will test political tolerance, state authority, and the commitment of leaders and security agencies to uphold order, protect rights, and prevent Kenya from sliding into avoidable confrontation. [Photo//Courtesy]

    Sifuna Rally Faces Intense Scrutiny Over Alleged Armed Goons Mobilization in Kakamega

    Commander Mahmoud addressed the media with a firm and deliberate tone, asserting that security agencies had received intelligence reports indicating that individuals traveling from Nairobi for the rally were armed with firearms, including rifles. He stated that these reports formed the basis of heightened security concerns surrounding the event.

    According to Mahmoud, the police had not received formal notification from the rally organizers as required under the law governing public assemblies, a procedural lapse he emphasized as both unusual and troubling. Mahmoud explained that his office became aware of the rally primarily through social media circulation rather than through official communication channels.

    In his view, this lack of coordination undermines structured security planning and raises legitimate concerns about the intentions behind the gathering. He maintained that political leaders must respect established legal processes, particularly when organizing large public events that draw crowds and carry potential security risks.

    The commander further underscored that the police service remains committed to safeguarding lives and property in Kakamega County. He stressed that law enforcement would not tolerate disorder or lawlessness under any circumstances.

    Mahmoud assured residents that his command has sufficient personnel on standby and that additional officers can be deployed if the situation demands reinforcement. His message was unequivocal: the state will exercise its mandate to maintain order and will intervene decisively should any threat materialize.

    By framing the allegations within a broader commitment to peace and security, Mahmoud positioned the police response as preventive rather than reactive. However, the gravity of accusing a sitting senator of planning to ferry armed goons elevates the issue beyond routine security caution and into the realm of significant political controversy.

    Security Concerns Deepen After Kona Mbaya Convoy Incident

    The security warning follows a recent incident involving Sifuna’s Linda Mwananchi convoy, which came under attack at Kona Mbaya trading centre while en route to Kakamega. During the incident, unknown individuals hurled a stone at one of the vehicles, escalating tensions and raising questions about the safety of political mobilization in the region. While the attack did not result in reported fatalities, it amplified fears that political rivalry could spill into open confrontation.

    Police authorities now cite that episode as evidence of an increasingly volatile environment. In their assessment, introducing alleged armed elements into such a context could rapidly intensify instability. Mahmoud’s public remarks reflect a strategic effort to signal readiness and deterrence, making clear that law enforcement agencies will not allow Kakamega to become a theatre of political violence.

    The broader implication of these developments extends beyond a single rally. Kenya’s political landscape has frequently grappled with allegations of hired goons and organized disruptions during high-profile gatherings. By publicly raising the alarm, the police leadership has sought to establish control over the narrative and reinforce the authority of the security apparatus in managing public assemblies.

    Nevertheless, the situation places residents of Kakamega in a precarious position. Many citizens expect their leaders to articulate political agendas freely, yet they also demand peace and stability. The tension between constitutional freedoms and security enforcement now defines the immediate political climate surrounding the Sifuna Kakamega Rally.

    Police Commander Alleges Sifuna Transported Armed Goons to Fuel Tensions at Kakamega Rally
    If political actors continue weaponizing goons for intimidation and disruption, they will erode public trust, weaken democratic institutions, and push communities toward fear and instability instead of debate, accountability, and responsible leadership. [Photo//Courtesy]

    Sifuna Rejects Allegations and Defends Constitutional Rights

    Senator Edwin Sifuna has firmly rejected the allegations and signaled his intention to proceed with the rally as scheduled. He maintains that he possesses a constitutional right to assemble and address supporters in any part of the country, including Kakamega. From his perspective, the security warnings amount to undue pressure designed to frustrate legitimate political engagement.

    Sifuna has not acknowledged any plan to transport armed individuals and has instead emphasized the need for authorities to focus on protecting lawful political activity. His allies argue that the Kona Mbaya convoy attack demonstrates that his team faces hostility rather than orchestrating it. They contend that law enforcement should prioritize investigating those responsible for the stone-throwing incident instead of issuing broad allegations against rally organizers.

    The senator’s defiance underscores a broader political dynamic in which opposition figures often frame security interventions as tools of intimidation. At the same time, security agencies defend their actions as necessary safeguards against disorder. This friction forms the backdrop against which Sifuna’s Kakamega rally now unfolds.

    As the rally date approaches, the stakes remain high. If the event proceeds peacefully, it may reinforce confidence in both political expression and law enforcement oversight. However, if unrest erupts, scrutiny will intensify on all parties involved, from organizers to security commanders. In either scenario, the confrontation has already reshaped the political conversation in Western Kenya.

    The Sifuna Kakamega Rally has evolved into more than a regional gathering; it has become a litmus test of authority, accountability, and democratic space. How leaders and security agencies navigate this moment will signal the direction of political engagement in the months ahead.

  • Sifuna, Babu Owino Are Uhuru’s Project, Orengo Is Opportunist, Inconsequential in Kenyan Politics, Miguna Says

    Sifuna, Babu Owino Are Uhuru’s Project, Orengo Is Opportunist, Inconsequential in Kenyan Politics, Miguna Says

    Firebrand lawyer Miguna Miguna has launched a blistering attack on ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and veteran politician James Orengo, branding them political opportunists bankrolling former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s shadowy agenda.

    In a series of explosive posts on X, the self-proclaimed General tore into the trio, claiming they are part of a sinister plot to install former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i as Kenya’s next president using Uhuru’s dirty money.

    Miguna accused Sifuna and his “confused groupies” of masquerading as progressive legislators while spending years in Parliament without tabling a single pro-people legislation or impeachment motion against President William Ruto despite their theatrical press conferences denouncing his administration.

    The Canada-based lawyer reserved his harshest words for Orengo, a man he once admired as a Form One student at Onjiko Secondary School in the 1970s when Orengo served as Ugenya MP.

    “After we became adults and encountered James Orengo in politics, we realized to our collective consternation that he blew hot and cold and wasn’t a revolutionary,” Miguna wrote, systematically dismantling Orengo’s political legacy spanning five decades.

    Miguna claimed he was among ODM strategists in 2007 who insisted Orengo receive a nomination certificate after losing in Ugenya, arguing the party didn’t need “hooligans in parliament.” But he says Orengo repaid that faith with incompetence and cowardice.

    He accused the former Lands Minister of bungling a crucial 2007 presidential vote audit alongside PNU’s Martha Karua, sleeping at KICC while Karua “messed up the exercise” and failing to table a coherent report on electoral irregularities that sparked post-election violence.

    During the 2009 ICC Review Conference in Kampala, Miguna claims Orengo and Amason Kingi refused to present ODM’s position on ICC indictments against Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto, forcing him to step in.

    “During the constitutional review process when Kibaki and his PNU gang tried to scuttle the completion of the process, Orengo always hid and left me alone to battle the PNU mandarins,” Miguna charged.

    He savaged Orengo’s 2010 decision to support Raila Odinga’s switch from a parliamentary to presidential system, watching sheepishly as the late Otieno Kajwang called Miguna “the Mau Mau who has refused to leave the forest.”

    The lawyer’s most damning accusation centers on what he calls serial betrayal. In 2018, as Miguna organized resistance through NRM-Kenya against “despots” Uhuru and Ruto, he claims Orengo and Raila abandoned him and cut deals with the duo.

    “Although I beseeched Orengo to break ranks with the conservative, cowardly and reactionary elements within ODM so that we could chart a revolutionary path for the country, Orengo was too cowardly to take a stand,” Miguna wrote.

    He accused Orengo of supporting the Uhuru-Raila handshake and the unconstitutional BBI despite raising parliamentary concerns, then displaying similar cowardice when Raila entered another handshake with Ruto after betraying Gen Z protesters.

    Miguna questioned why Sifuna, Orengo and others demanding answers about Raila’s death didn’t call for an autopsy or make murder allegations at his funeral where they spoke.

    “If Ida and Winnie believed Raila Odinga was murdered, why did they tell Kenyans about Raila’s will which presumably Orengo drafted and Raila’s wish to be buried within 72 hours?” he asked.

    He challenged their progressive credentials, asking what concrete actions they’ve taken as public office holders to fight for justice for victims of police brutality or tackle corruption beyond press conference theatrics.

    “What the opportunistic reactionary cowards are doing is trying to deceive Kenyans that they care about unemployment, corruption and high cost of living when they have spent their entire lives praising and worshipping the SYSTEM which brought unemployment, corruption, high cost of living, impunity and abuse of power,” Miguna charged.

    The lawyer warned Kenyans against being deceived by politicians who hold press conferences during the day while meeting Uhuru, Ruto and Matiang’i at night.

    “I don’t fear being attacked by naive and stupid zombies who get attracted to the newest conman in town. I’m here to expose hypocrites, conmen, thugs, drug dealers, murderers and opportunists,” Miguna declared.

    He concluded with his trademark rallying cry: “Truth shall set us free!”

    The allegations come as ODM figures have stepped up criticism of the Ruto administration while demanding transparency around the circumstances of Raila Odinga’s recent death.

  • Sifuna’s Removal As ODM SG Stopped By Tribunal

    Sifuna’s Removal As ODM SG Stopped By Tribunal

    The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) has temporarily halted removal of Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna as ODM secretary general.

    The ruling was made after Sifuna challenged the party’s Wednesday decision.

    “That pending the hearing and determination of this instant application, inter partes, this Honourable Tribunal hereby issues orders staying the implementation of the resolution made by the National Executive Committee of the Orange Democratic Movement Party on 11th February, 2026 to remove Edwin Sifuna as the secretary general of the party,” PPDT acting chairperson Gad Gathu ruled.

    It certified Sifuna’s application as urgent, ordering that the complaint and notice of motion be served on the respondents immediately.

    The ODM and the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties were given seven days to respond, with a further three days allowed for Sifuna to file any supplementary reply.

    The matter is set for mention on February 26 to verify compliance and provide further directions.

    Crucially, the tribunal issued interim orders staying the implementation of the ODM resolution and restraining the respondents from publishing it in the Kenya Gazette.

  • My Only Crime Is Not Supporting Ruto, I Remain Legitimate ODM SG, Sifuna Breaks Silence After Ouster‬

    My Only Crime Is Not Supporting Ruto, I Remain Legitimate ODM SG, Sifuna Breaks Silence After Ouster‬

    Nairobi Senator declares his removal illegal, vows to fight back in courts as ODM power struggle intensifies

    In a fiery press conference that has sent shockwaves through Kenya’s opposition ranks, embattled Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has launched a blistering counterattack against his purported removal as Orange Democratic Movement Secretary-General, declaring the move illegal and vowing an all-out legal war to reclaim his position.

    Speaking before a packed room of supporters and media at a Nairobi hotel on Wednesday, February 12, a visibly defiant Sifuna dismissed Tuesday’s decision by a section of the ODM National Executive Committee as nothing more than a politically motivated hatchet job orchestrated by party leaders who have sold out to President William Ruto’s government.

    “Let me state, without fear of contradiction, that this action is illegal, unprocedural, and a blatant violation of the ODM Constitution, as well as the principles of natural justice,” Sifuna thundered, his voice cutting through the tension-filled room. “I remain the validly elected Secretary-General of the Orange Democratic Movement.”

    The senator’s defiance comes barely 24 hours after the ODM NEC convened in Mombasa and resolved to strip him of his duties, a move that has plunged Kenya’s main opposition party into unprecedented turmoil and exposed deep fractures within its leadership.

    “My Only Crime? Refusing to Support Ruto”

    In what is shaping up as the most dramatic internal party battle in ODM’s 18-year history, Sifuna pulled no punches in identifying what he believes is the real reason behind his ouster.

    “Indeed, as far as internal differences in opinion go, my only ‘crime’ is that I oppose any plans and schemes within the party to support President William Ruto’s re-election, because I have held and continue to hold the firm position that this country cannot afford another five years of this expensive, divisive, incompetent and disastrous Ruto misadventure,” he declared to thunderous applause from his supporters.

    The statement represents the most direct acknowledgment yet of the elephant in the room that has been tearing ODM apart since party leader Raila Odinga struck a rapprochement deal with President Ruto last year, a move that saw several ODM members appointed to Ruto’s cabinet.

    Sifuna’s opposition to this cooperation has been unwavering and vocal, putting him on a collision course with a section of the party leadership that appears increasingly comfortable with the government.

    “I Was Never Given a Chance to Defend Myself”

    Central to Sifuna’s legal challenge is his claim that he was afforded no opportunity to respond to whatever allegations were leveled against him before the NEC moved to remove him.

    “At no time have I been informed of any allegations against me, be they of indiscipline, insubordination or incompetence in the execution of my duties as SG,” he stated emphatically. “Neither have I been invited to respond to any complaints in and out of the party, on any matter that would constitute grounds for removal. Consequently, no lawful organ of the party has invited me for any hearing.”

    Legal experts suggest this procedural irregularity could form the backbone of Sifuna’s court challenge, as most party constitutions require members to be given an opportunity to be heard before disciplinary action is taken against them.

    The senator also took direct aim at governors and other party officials who he claims have made defamatory allegations against him, particularly accusations of extortion.

    “This is a coordinated war against me,” Sifuna charged. “You people know me and my work. Those governors making those allegations, we will meet them in court because it is very defamatory. If I have ever extorted you, bring the evidence for Kenyans to see.”

    Nine Years at the Helm: The Longest-Serving SG

    Sifuna’s removal, if it stands, would end a remarkable nine-year tenure as ODM Secretary-General, making him the longest-serving individual in that position in the party’s history.

    “This month marks the beginning of my ninth year as SG of ODM, the longest serving individual in that position,” he noted with evident pride. “To serve that long at the feet of the enigmatic Raila Odinga needed one to summon all reservoirs of wisdom from all possible sources, but most importantly, to remain a true and loyal student of the great icon.”

    The senator’s tenure has been marked by his fierce defense of party interests, his combative political style, and his ability to articulate the opposition’s position in ways that resonated with millions of Kenyans frustrated with government policies.

    His supporters argue that this track record of loyalty and service makes the manner of his removal all the more shocking and politically motivated.

    The Raila Factor: Honoring or Betraying the Icon?

    Perhaps the most emotionally charged element of Sifuna’s statement was his repeated invocation of Raila Odinga’s name and legacy, positioning himself as the true custodian of the veteran opposition leader’s principles.

    “Even in the current circumstances, I would never betray the ideals and principles of my late leader, Rt Hon Raila,” Sifuna declared, referring to Raila’s political mentor, his late father Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.

    He went on to paint a picture of a party leadership that has lost its way, abandoning the very principles that Raila Odinga spent decades fighting for.

    “It is painful to note that sections of the party continue to desecrate the legacy and memory of Raila, by turning this party into a theatre of the illegal,” Sifuna lamented, citing recent irregular gazette notices and procedural violations.

    The statement represents a direct challenge to those in ODM who claim to be acting with Raila’s blessing or at his direction, with Sifuna essentially arguing that the party godfather would never have sanctioned such irregular proceedings.

    “Raila Did Not Raise Cowards”

    In what may become one of the defining quotes of this political drama, Sifuna invoked the memory of the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga to rally his supporters and signal his determination to fight.

    “As I said in Busia, Raila did not raise cowards. He did not teach us to run away from hardship or challenges but to confront them head on,” Sifuna declared. “Our Party constitution places a responsibility on us to fight for ODM. And fight we shall. Through all lawful means we shall fight for this great institution until the very end.”

    The reference to Jaramogi’s fighting spirit and legacy of resistance against injustice is likely calculated to resonate with ODM’s grassroots base, many of whom view the Odinga family’s political journey as synonymous with the struggle for democracy and social justice in Kenya.

    Show of Force: The Power Brokers Back Sifuna

    The optics at Wednesday’s press conference spoke volumes about the battle lines being drawn within ODM. Flanking Sifuna were some of the party’s most prominent figures, including Siaya Governor James Orengo, EALA MP Winnie Odinga (Raila’s daughter), and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino.

    Governor Orengo, himself a legal heavyweight and ODM’s Deputy Party Leader, was unequivocal in his support: “As I stand here, the Secretary General of ODM is Senator Edwin Sifuna.”

    The presence of Winnie Odinga was particularly significant, as it suggests that even within the Odinga family, there may not be unanimous support for the moves against Sifuna.

    The show of force indicates that Sifuna is not an isolated figure but rather has substantial backing from key party stakeholders who share his concerns about ODM’s direction and the manner of his removal.

    The Personal Opinion Defense

    Addressing allegations that he had confused party positions with personal opinions, Sifuna mounted a vigorous defense of his right to freedom of expression.

    “Those who have made accusations against me should come and explain how I confused party position with my own opinion,” he challenged. “I do not think it is correct to say that I do not have a right to a personal opinion. Raila told them that everyone in ODM, irrespective of the position, has a right to speak their mind.”

    This argument cuts to the heart of a fundamental tension in political parties: where does legitimate internal debate end and indiscipline begin? Sifuna is essentially arguing that robust internal debate is healthy for democracy and that silencing dissent turns a political party into an authoritarian structure.

    “We Will Go to That NDC”

    Looking ahead to the party’s National Delegates Conference, Sifuna made clear that he considers himself still very much in the game.

    “I am still the SG of ODM. We will go to that NDC. We are still members of NDC; these are delegates of ODM. No one can kick us out of the party,” he insisted.

    The statement suggests that the battle for ODM’s soul will ultimately be decided at the NDC, where delegates from across the country will have their say on the party’s direction and leadership.

    It also indicates that Sifuna plans to contest any attempts to exclude him from party processes and will likely seek court orders to protect his rights as a party member and elected official.

    The Legal Battle Ahead

    True to his combative nature, Sifuna has made clear that this dispute will be settled in the courts.

    “We will challenge every illegality in the courts of law and in the court of public opinion,” he declared. “Surrender is not an option.”

    Legal experts anticipate a protracted court battle that could parallel the dramatic 2014 case when the party faced internal rebellion from a faction led by some MPs who felt sidelined.

    The courts will likely be asked to determine whether proper procedures were followed in Sifuna’s removal, whether he was accorded his rights to be heard, and whether the NEC had the authority to remove him without following the constitutional process.

    A Party at War With Itself

    The Sifuna saga has exposed fault lines within ODM that go beyond personalities to fundamental questions about the party’s identity and future.

    On one side are those like Sifuna who believe ODM must remain a strong opposition force, holding the government accountable and offering Kenyans an alternative vision. They view cooperation with Ruto as a betrayal of everything the party stands for.

    On the other side are those who argue that political realism requires engagement with government, that ODM can achieve more for its constituencies through cooperation than confrontation, and that Raila’s own decision to work with Ruto should be respected.

    The fact that this battle is playing out so publicly and bitterly suggests that neither side is willing to compromise, setting the stage for either a dramatic reconciliation or a potential party split.

    The Grassroots Question

    Perhaps the most important unknown in this drama is where ODM’s grassroots base stands. Sifuna has positioned himself as defending the party’s core principles and resisting what he portrays as a sellout to Ruto.

    “I urge our members to remain calm, steadfast, and committed to the ideals that brought us together,” Sifuna appealed. “ODM is bigger than any individual, and it must remain anchored in justice, transparency, and respect for its own constitution.”

    If the grassroots rally behind Sifuna, the party leadership may find itself isolated and forced to reconsider. If they back the NEC’s decision, Sifuna’s defiance may prove futile.

    Early indications on social media suggest significant support for Sifuna among younger ODM supporters who view him as a principled fighter, but the party’s rural strongholds may take a different view.

    What Happens Next?

    As this political drama unfolds, several scenarios are possible. Sifuna could win in court and be reinstated, vindicating his stand and humiliating those who moved against him. The courts could rule against him, ending his tenure as Secretary-General and potentially diminishing his influence within the party.

    A compromise could be brokered, with Sifuna agreeing to tone down his criticism in exchange for retention of his position. Or the dispute could escalate into a full-blown party split, with Sifuna leading a faction that breaks away to form or join another opposition vehicle.

    What is clear is that this is not just about Edwin Sifuna’s political future. It is about the future direction of Kenya’s main opposition party, about whether there will be a strong opposition voice to hold the government accountable, and ultimately about the health of Kenya’s democracy.

    For now, Sifuna remains defiant, claiming his position, rallying his supporters, and preparing for the legal and political battles ahead. In a statement dripping with determination, he concluded: “I remain a loyal member and the SG of the ODM Party. I remain committed to the struggle for a fair, just, and democratic Kenya.”

    The coming weeks will reveal whether that commitment will be enough to save his position and his party.

  • Grand Fallout: How Control Over Billions Is Splitting ODM In The Middle

    Grand Fallout: How Control Over Billions Is Splitting ODM In The Middle

    The Orange Democratic Movement, Kenya’s most storied opposition party, is hemorrhaging from within over questions nobody wants to answer: who controls the money, where are the millions coming from, and who truly speaks for the party that Raila Odinga built over two decades?

    Three months after the death of its founding pillar, ODM finds itself in a brutal civil war between two camps, each claiming the mantle of legitimacy, each mobilizing parallel grassroots rallies, and each accusing the other of betraying the very soul of the orange revolution.

    At the heart of this spectacular disintegration lies one stubborn truth that party insiders whisper but dare not say publicly: control of ODM means control of billions in political funding, patronage networks, and the keys to State House itself in 2027.

    The party’s Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna lit the match that has now consumed the party when he went on national television and made a claim so explosive it sent shockwaves through the political establishment.

    The ongoing Linda Ground rallies, he declared, are not being financed from ODM coffers.

    As a signatory to the party’s bank accounts alongside National Treasurer Timothy Bosire, Sifuna stated categorically that no money has left official party accounts since the 20th anniversary celebrations in Mombasa last November.

    “I can state authoritatively that the resources you see being spent in ODM rallies, the so-called Linda Ground forums, are not coming from ODM headquarters,” Sifuna told Citizen TV, his words measured but lethal. “There is parallel funding for activities clothed in ODM colours.”

    The implications of this statement cannot be overstated.

    Someone, somewhere, is bankrolling a multi-million shilling political operation under the ODM brand without going through official party channels.

    The rallies have featured helicopters ferrying party bigwigs across counties, massive tents accommodating thousands, freshly printed ODM-branded T-shirts and caps, and logistics that suggest access to deep pockets.

    Sifuna’s revelation raises the question that has now split the party down the middle: if not from party accounts, then where is the money coming from?

    Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga, sister to the late Raila Odinga and niece to current party leader Oburu Oginga, has offered the most incendiary answer.

    In a blistering statement defending Sifuna, she accused the government of President William Ruto of directly funding the Linda Ground rallies as a mechanism of control.

    “The money flying in choppers, being used to procure big tents and to mobilize and brand crowds in ODM colours, yet the same money cannot be sent to the ODM Party bank accounts, only means one thing: control,” Ruth declared. “The government has the option of releasing the funds to the party, but when that happens, they will lack control. So, they must be the ones controlling the show, where they decide who is invited to the Linda Ground tents, and what they say once they get there.”

    Her questions cut to the bone of ODM’s current predicament. Are governors funding the campaigns from county coffers? Are MPs diverting Constituency Development Fund money? Did a mysterious philanthropist suddenly develop an interest in keeping ODM afloat? And crucially, what does this shadowy benefactor want in return?

    The Linda Ground faction, led by party leader Oburu Oginga, National Chairperson Gladys Wanga, deputy party leaders Simba Arati and Abdulswamad Nassir, and National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohammed, has remained conspicuously silent on the funding question. Instead, they have pivoted to attacking Sifuna’s legitimacy and questioning his loyalty.

    Oburu, in a sharply worded statement, accused his Secretary-General of confusing party members by conflating personal opinions with official party policy. “The Secretary General has occasionally struggled to distinguish between his personal opinions and official party policy as determined by our constitutionally mandated organs,” Oburu said, in what many read as a thinly veiled threat. “This has, understandably, created confusion among members and supporters.”

    But Oburu’s counterattack has done little to address the elephant in the room. The Linda Ground rallies have now visited Kakamega, Busia, Kisumu, Kisii, and Nyamira counties, with speakers consistently pushing for a pre-election coalition with President Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance. The optics are damning: a supposedly independent opposition party conducting expensive mobilization drives while its Secretary-General publicly states the party itself is not paying for them.

    Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir attempted damage control by suggesting the rallies are funded by individual leaders out of goodwill, invoking the spirit of how Raila Odinga’s past campaigns were financed. “When we were moving around the country with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, was the party financing those activities?” Nassir asked. “This party has many people who support it and do not necessarily focus on finances.”

    The explanation has been met with skepticism. ODM, according to Sifuna, is owed a staggering Sh12 billion by the National Treasury in unremitted Political Parties Fund allocations. The Treasury is legally required to provide at least 0.3 percent of national government revenue to the fund, with 80 percent distributed based on votes in the last election. Yet ODM cannot access these funds even as millions flow into parallel structures bearing its name.

    “As we speak, ODM is owed a total of Sh12 billion by the Treasury, yet we are being told that my former chairperson is the Cabinet Secretary for the Treasury,” Sifuna said, referencing John Mbadi, the ODM treasurer who now serves in Ruto’s government. The irony is not lost on anyone: ODM’s own appointees now control the very ministries that owe the party billions.

    The factional warfare has now spawned competing grassroots tours. While Oburu’s Linda Ground rallies preach accommodation with Ruto’s government, Sifuna’s faction has launched Linda Mwananchi rallies, starting in Busia on February 8, to counter what they see as the sellout of ODM’s founding principles. Deputy Party Leader Godfrey Osotsi, Siaya Governor James Orengo, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka, and Saboti MP Caleb Amisi have thrown their weight behind the Sifuna camp, arguing that ODM must field its own presidential candidate in 2027 rather than back Ruto.

    “We have an opportunity of a lifetime here because of how the votes were split in 2022,” Sifuna argued. “Our candidate lost by a margin of 200,000 votes. In my estimation, if we just kept the constituencies that voted for Raila Odinga, we don’t need to do anything else because the person who has lost the biggest chunk of votes is Ruto, and so we would actually win.”

    Orengo has been more blunt, warning of a plot to “auction” ODM to President Ruto and vowing to protect the party’s identity. His language suggests the battle is existential: either ODM remains an independent force capable of challenging the government, or it becomes a client organization subsumed into the very power structures it was created to oppose.

    The leadership crisis is compounded by questions over Oburu’s own installation as party leader. Sifuna has publicly challenged the process, arguing it violated party constitution. According to Sifuna, who was in Mumbai, India, helping repatriate Raila’s body when the decision was made, ODM’s constitution required that one of the deputy party leaders act temporarily pending a special National Delegates Convention. Instead, the National Governing Council directly installed Oburu without the constitutionally mandated NDC approval.

    “The installation of Oburu Oginga as interim party leader was not procedural in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution,” Sifuna stated. “What I would have advised had I been in that meeting is to allow one of the deputies to act for one month, and in three months’ time, call for a special NDC and do it procedurally and properly.”

    Oburu has fired back with equal force, pointing out that Sifuna himself was elected Secretary-General by the same National Governing Council in February 2018 and only later endorsed by the NDC in 2022. “One cannot selectively invalidate the very processes that conferred legitimacy upon oneself,” Oburu said, in what many read as a checkmate argument.

    The spectacle reached its nadir on February 6 when businessman Oketch Salah, who styled himself as Raila’s adopted son, organized an event at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre featuring ODM-branded merchandise bearing President Ruto’s portrait. Attendees wore orange T-shirts and caps emblazoned with the face of the man Raila spent decades opposing. The imagery was jarring, almost obscene to party loyalists who remember the battles of 2007, 2013, 2017, and 2022.

    ODM moved swiftly to distance itself. In a statement signed by National Chairperson Gladys Wanga, the party declared that Salah’s activities are carried out strictly in his personal capacity and do not represent or bind ODM. But the damage was done. The sight of ODM colors fused with Ruto’s image crystallized the fears of the Sifuna faction: that powerful forces within and outside the party are working to deliver ODM wholesale to the government.

    Saboti MP Caleb Amisi captured the visceral reaction when he demanded to know: “When did ODM NDC meet and approve that our t-shirts and caps be printed with Ruto’s image?”

    Salah has complicated matters further by claiming to possess knowledge of Raila’s final political wishes. According to Salah, Raila wanted a strengthened ODM to eventually endorse Ruto for re-election in 2027. He has also alleged that Raila suspected Sifuna of being someone’s mole, claims that have been furiously rejected by Raila’s biological children. East African Legislative Assembly MP Winnie Odinga dismissed Salah’s accounts as fabrications, stating she was at her father’s side in his final moments, not Salah. Raila Odinga Junior backed his sister, calling Salah’s assertions “nonsense.”

    Yet Salah’s claims have found traction within the Oburu camp, which has been careful not to disavow them even as they publicly distance from Salah’s methods. This ambiguity feeds suspicion that Salah is expressing openly what powerful figures within ODM prefer to keep veiled.

    The money trail tells its own story. ODM’s official bank accounts have been dormant for months even as lavish political theater unfolds across the country under its banner. The party is owed billions by a government that includes its own members in cabinet positions. Parallel funding structures operate outside party oversight. And all of this is happening as ODM prepares for what should be the most consequential election of its existence, coming off a loss to Ruto by just 200,000 votes.

    Political analyst Professor Macharia Munene has warned that ODM may not survive the competing interests tearing it apart. “Even Raila knew that Sifuna was popular,” Munene noted, suggesting the current leadership underestimates the Secretary-General’s support base at its peril.

    Ida Odinga, widow of the founding leader, has urged rival factions to embrace dialogue to avert a split. Speaking to Nairobi legislators, she warned that sustained infighting could undermine two decades of political legacy. “It is my wish that we preserve the party in Baba’s honour as a service to our country,” she said, her voice carrying the weight of a woman who has watched her husband’s life work threatened by the very people he elevated.

    But dialogue seems increasingly unlikely. The Sifuna faction has boycotted Central Management Committee meetings, arguing the leadership under Oburu lacks procedural legitimacy. Oburu, for his part, has challenged critics to face him at the NDC, insisting he does not fear anyone. The party now operates with parallel structures, parallel tours, parallel narratives, and most damningly, parallel sources of funding.

    The stakes could not be higher. Control of ODM means control of the largest opposition party in Kenya. It means control of parliamentary minority leadership positions. It means control of billions in political party funding. It means the power to decide whether Kenya has a viable opposition in 2027 or whether the political space consolidates entirely under Ruto’s presidency.

    For the Oburu faction, cooperation with government is pragmatic politics that ensures ODM members are not left out of national development and decision-making. It is the difference between power and irrelevance. For the Sifuna faction, the same cooperation represents a catastrophic betrayal of ODM’s founding mission to provide an alternative to establishment power.

    Between these irreconcilable positions lies the corpse of consensus. The party that Raila built as a vehicle for democratic reform now teeters on the edge of civil war, its leaders too busy fighting over control to notice the ground shifting beneath them. The orange revolution that inspired millions is now reduced to competing rallies funded by sources nobody will name, advancing agendas nobody will explicitly state, all while the party that claims to represent them bleeds out in public.

    As 2027 approaches, only one certainty remains: whatever ODM becomes after this civil war, it will not be the party Raila left behind. The only question is whether it will be recognizable at all.

  • Sifuna Says ‘Linda Ground’ Rally Funds Not Coming From ODM HQ As Osotsi Clams Party Being Run From State House

    Sifuna Says ‘Linda Ground’ Rally Funds Not Coming From ODM HQ As Osotsi Clams Party Being Run From State House

    The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has questioned the source of what he described as massive resources used by his party in the Linda Ground rallies across the country.

    Sifuna said that, as a signatory to the party’s bank account alongside National Treasurer Timothy Bosire, they have not signed off on any withdrawal to facilitate the rallies.

    The ODM official, who is also Nairobi Senator, told Citizen TV in an interview on Tuesday night that the party’s last spending was on its 20th Anniversary fete in Mombasa in November last year.

    “The money you see being spent in ODM rallies is not coming from ODM headquarters; there is parallel funding for activities clothed in ODM colours,” he said, rejecting reports that his party was funding the events.

    Sifuna added, “Forget this rubbish you hear people saying here. Timothy Bosire, the Treasurer, is also a signatory to the bank accounts, and the last money we expended as ODM officially was for the celebrations in Mombasa, and it was a fraction of what we saw there.”

    When asked if he knew the source of the funds, the SG said, “You will ask them. I can only account for monies that I am a signatory to.”

    The first Linda Ground rally was launched in Kamkunji, Kibra Constituency, last month and was attended by Interim Party Leader Oburu Oginga, party chairperson Gladys Wanga, among other party leaders.

    The ODM team has also since held similar rallies in Kakamega, Busia, Kisumu and Kisii counties, where speakers have been pushing for planned pre-election coalition talks with President William Ruto’s UDA.

    Sifuna’s comments came two days after ODM deputy party leader and Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi was quoted in the media claiming that ODM is now being run from State House.

    Sifuna said he had distanced himself from the Linda Ground rallies while raising concerns about what he described as the irregular appointment of Oburu as party leader.

    “There is no requirement on the SG to attend all those rallies. The party leader has the freedom to be able to consult party members to meet delegates in the counties. If he asks me to join him, I will join him,” the Nairobi Senator said.

    He added, when asked why he has been absent from the ODM events, “I require to be involved to have information about where we are going tomorrow. I was not involved, I was not invited, and I was not informed. I saw them on the media the way that you saw them.”

    The party official, while referring to the ODM constitution, said Oburu’s installation as party leader was not done in line with the law.

    “The installation of Oburu Oginga as interim party leader was not procedural in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. What I would have advised had I been in that meeting is allow one of the deputies to act for one month and in 3 months’ time, call for a special NDC and do it procedurally and properly,” he stated.

    Sifuna said he did not attend the meeting that proposed to appoint his Siaya Senate counterpart, as he was among the delegation that travelled to India to accompany party leader Raila Odinga’s body home.

    “I was not in that meeting because I was going to fetch my party leader to bring Baba back home. I don’t think anybody considers me important enough to be waited upon, and they have their reasons why they did it in the manner they did,” he added.

    The Senator also responded to suggestions that the party may expel him for leading a section of members seen as dissenting voices.

    “It is okay. There is nowhere it is written that Sifuna can be the only one who is SG. I have said that I have predecessors, people who have done this job,” Sifuna said.

    He added, “I have young people in ODM who, I know for a fact, if they are given the opportunity, they can do this job even better than Sifuna or all the other SGs that have served before. It is not anyone’s birthright to be SG or to be any position in the party.”

  • ‘ODM Can Replace Me,’ Sifuna Declares He Won’t Back Ruto in 2027

    ‘ODM Can Replace Me,’ Sifuna Declares He Won’t Back Ruto in 2027

    ODM Secretary-General risks party position as he spearheads new youth movement challenging Kenya Kwanza administration

    Edwin Sifuna has thrown down the gauntlet to his own Orange Democratic Movement party, declaring he would rather lose his position as Secretary-General than support President William Ruto’s re-election bid in 2027.

    Speaking at a women’s empowerment event in Saboti, Trans Nzoia County on Sunday, the defiant ODM official made it clear that his opposition to the Kenya Kwanza administration transcends party loyalty—a stance that puts him on a collision course with any potential ODM-UDA rapprochement.

    “I will not support ODM’s resolution to endorse William Ruto in 2027,” Sifuna declared, addressing speculation about his party’s future political direction.

    “I am ready to be replaced in ODM, as I have heard someone is being groomed for my position.”

    The remarks signal a deepening rift within ODM as the party grapples with its positioning ahead of the 2027 general election.

    While party leader Raila Odinga has recently shown signs of warming up to the Ruto administration, Sifuna’s public rebellion suggests not all party officials are willing to follow that path.

    Youth movement emerges

    Sifuna’s defiance coincides with the launch of “Kenya Moja,” a new political formation he’s spearheading alongside several opposition MPs.

    The movement positions itself as a youth-led alternative to what its founders describe as failed leadership under the current administration.

    “Kenya needs a new political force to champion the rights of citizens suffering under poor leadership,” Sifuna emphasized, framing his opposition as a matter of principle rather than personal ambition.

    The timing of this political realignment is significant. With three years until the next election, opposition figures are already positioning themselves for what promises to be a highly contested race.

    Sifuna’s willingness to potentially sacrifice his party position suggests he’s betting on anti-establishment sentiment carrying more weight than traditional party structures.

    Coalition of the willing

    The Saboti event revealed the breadth of discontent within opposition ranks. MPs Caleb Amisi (Saboti), Majimbo Kalasinga (Kabuchai), Jack Wamboka (Bumula), and Gathoni Wamuchomba (Githunguri) all voiced sharp criticism of the Kenya Kwanza administration.

    Kalasinga’s focus on human rights violations—specifically extrajudicial killings—adds a grave dimension to their opposition. “The human rights space has shrunk under this government. If President Ruto gets a second term, it will only get worse,” he warned.

    Wamuchomba’s critique was equally scathing, targeting the government’s performance in healthcare and education.

    Her direct appeal to the President—“Stop lying, Mr President”—reflects the confrontational tone this emerging opposition faction is adopting.

    The Raila factor

    Sifuna reads ODM resolutions to support Ruto government till 2027.

    Perhaps most intriguingly, Sifuna hinted at working with Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, suggesting he’s already building alternative political networks.

    This tactical positioning indicates he’s prepared for potential expulsion from ODM rather than merely hoping to influence party direction from within.

    The Secretary-General’s rebellion places Raila Odinga in a delicate position.

    As ODM leader, he must decide whether to discipline Sifuna or accommodate the growing dissent within party ranks.

    His recent conciliatory moves toward the Ruto administration appear increasingly at odds with his party’s grassroots sentiment.

    Reading the political temperature

    Amisi’s claims of receiving death threats and being trailed by unknown vehicles which he interpreted as assassination attempts add a serious security dimension to this political drama.

    Whether these concerns are legitimate or political theater, they reflect the high stakes involved in opposition politics.

    The emergence of Kenya Moja also represents something broader: a generational challenge to established political leadership.

    By positioning themselves as young, visionary leaders offering “economic transformation,” these politicians are tapping into widespread frustration with traditional politics.

    Sifuna’s gamble could reshape Kenya’s opposition landscape.

    If successful, his rebellion might inspire other party officials to break ranks, potentially fracturing ODM and creating space for new political formations. If it fails, he risks political isolation.

    The Secretary-General’s willingness to sacrifice his position for principle—assuming that’s what this represents rather than calculated opportunism—will be tested in coming months.

    Can Kenya Moja build sufficient momentum to challenge both the ruling party and established opposition? That remains the million-shilling question.

    What’s certain is that Sifuna has chosen confrontation over accommodation, setting up what promises to be a fascinating power struggle within Kenya’s opposition ranks as the 2027 election cycle heats up.

    The author is a political correspondent covering Kenya’s evolving political landscape

  • Raila Declares ODM-UDA Deal Will Remain Until 2027, Defends Sifuna’s Right of Expression

    Raila Declares ODM-UDA Deal Will Remain Until 2027, Defends Sifuna’s Right of Expression

    KAKAMEGA – Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga delivered a masterful display of democratic leadership on Friday, skillfully navigating internal party tensions while reaffirming his commitment to Kenya’s political stability through a continued partnership with President William Ruto’s administration.

    Speaking at a packed delegates conference in Kakamega County, the former Prime Minister demonstrated the political acumen that has defined his decades-long career, addressing growing criticism of the ODM-UDA cooperation agreement with remarkable composure and strategic clarity.

    In a move that showcased his dedication to democratic principles, Raila mounted a spirited defense of his Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna’s right to express dissenting views, even as those opinions have sparked heated debate within party ranks.

    “We have to protect the rights of people to speak. If Sifuna has spoken, he has a right to speak,” Raila declared to thunderous applause, embodying the very essence of democratic discourse.

    The seasoned politician’s handling of the situation revealed his deep understanding of political dynamics, as he clarified that the March 7, 2025 cooperation agreement was not a political merger but rather a sophisticated framework designed to address Kenya’s pressing challenges.

    “We did not sign a coalition agreement with UDA. What we have is a structured understanding focused on issues affecting Kenyans, not positions, not politics,” he explained with characteristic eloquence.

    Raila’s announcement that the broad-based government arrangement will continue until 2027 provides much-needed certainty in Kenya’s political landscape, while his promise of a comprehensive review demonstrates his responsiveness to grassroots concerns.

    His acknowledgment that party members will ultimately decide the future beyond 2027 reflects his commitment to inclusive decision-making processes.

    The ODM leader’s diplomatic response to calls from the crowd to abandon the cooperation agreement illustrated his political maturity, as he assured supporters that any major decisions would emerge from collective deliberation rather than unilateral action.

    “I have heard your voices. I respect your opinions. But let us reason together,” he said, striking the perfect balance between leadership and consultation.

    Perhaps most impressive was Raila’s nuanced defense of Edwin Sifuna against mounting pressure from some quarters, with the party leader emphasizing that internal discussions would be handled through proper party structures rather than public exchanges.

    This approach underscores his commitment to institutional governance and orderly political processes.

    The Kakamega conference ultimately showcased Raila Odinga at his finest – a statesman capable of managing complex political relationships while maintaining his party’s democratic values and Kenya’s broader political stability.

  • Sifuna Declares ODM-UDA Deal Dead

    Sifuna Declares ODM-UDA Deal Dead

    Orange Democratic Movement Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has dramatically declared the Memorandum of Understanding between his party and the ruling United Democratic Alliance null and void, citing the recent death of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang in police custody as the final straw that broke the political détente.

    In a hard-hitting interview on a local television Tuesday night, the outspoken Nairobi Senator delivered what amounts to a political obituary for the March 7 agreement signed between President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre.

    The pact, originally designed to calm political tensions and address Kenya’s socio-economic challenges, has become a casualty of what Sifuna describes as the government’s continued bad faith.

    “On the day that Albert Ojwang dies in a police cell, to me this agreement is dead. Because it doesn’t matter what else you do, Albert will not be able to enjoy that,” Sifuna stated with characteristic bluntness.

    The ODM Secretary General revealed that his opposition to the agreement ran deeper than recent events, admitting he had been a vocal dissenter from the very beginning.

    He painted a picture of internal party tensions, describing how he had warned his colleagues against entering into what he saw as a fundamentally flawed arrangement with an untrustworthy partner.

    “I am on record having advised the party against doing this MoU with UDA, and we still went ahead and entered that MoU, but the beauty is that we’re proven right every day,” Sifuna explained.

    His critique of the Ruto administration went beyond mere policy disagreements, touching on what he characterized as a cynical public relations exercise.

    According to Sifuna, the Kenya Kwanza government was never genuinely interested in the substantive provisions of the agreement, viewing it instead as a convenient prop for political theater.

    “They wanted a document that they could then go and run a PR campaign around and say we’re together,” he observed, describing how the government had deliberately misrepresented the nature of the agreement to suggest a coalition between the two parties when no such arrangement existed.

    The Senator’s analysis of the MoU’s failure centered on two fundamental pillars that he said had justified the original agreement.

    The first was the preservation of human life, particularly in the wake of the deadly Gen Z protests that had rocked the country.

    The second was the sustenance of Kenya’s democratic institutions, ensuring political stability through to the 2027 elections.

    While acknowledging that democratic processes remain intact, Sifuna argued that the continued loss of life had fatally undermined the moral foundation of the agreement. His assessment was stark in its simplicity: President Ruto was receiving his end of the bargain through political stability, but ordinary Kenyans continued to pay with their lives.

    The practical implications of Sifuna’s declaration became clear when he revealed his refusal to participate in a recently proposed ODM committee tasked with reviewing the MoU’s implementation. His reasoning was characteristically direct and tinged with dark humor.

    “Recently, we had another meeting and there was a proposal to have a team to review the implementation of this MoU. I have asked respectfully that I be left out of that team because I have already declared this MoU dead. I am not a mortician,” he stated, drawing a line between political negotiation and what he saw as futile attempts to revive a corpse.

    The death of Albert Ojwang appears to have crystallized long-simmering frustrations within ODM about the agreement’s effectiveness. For Sifuna, it represented not just another casualty of state violence, but a symbol of the government’s fundamental inability or unwillingness to honor its commitments to protecting citizens’ lives.

    His pronouncement comes at a delicate time for Kenyan politics, with the country still grappling with the aftermath of widespread protests and ongoing tensions between civil society and state security forces. The original MoU had included provisions for compensating protest victims and granting amnesty to those charged during peaceful demonstrations, commitments that Sifuna now views as hollow promises.

    The broader implications of Sifuna’s stance extend beyond the immediate political theater to questions about the nature of political agreements in Kenya’s fractured democracy. His critique suggests a fundamental skepticism about whether formal political pacts can survive the realities of governance when trust between parties has eroded.

    As one of ODM’s most prominent voices and a skilled political communicator, Sifuna’s declaration carries weight beyond his individual opinion. It signals potential fractures within the opposition movement and raises questions about the sustainability of any political cooperation between ODM and the ruling party.

    The challenge now facing both parties is whether the MoU can survive such pointed criticism from within ODM’s own ranks, or whether Sifuna’s dramatic pronouncement will become a self-fulfilling prophecy, marking the end of what was already a fragile political arrangement born out of necessity rather than genuine partnership.

  • Orwoba Claims Sifuna’s Government Criticism Stems from Missing Interior CS Post

    Orwoba Claims Sifuna’s Government Criticism Stems from Missing Interior CS Post

    NAIROBI, Kenya — Former Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba has alleged that Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna’s vocal criticism of President William Ruto’s administration is motivated by disappointment over not being appointed Cabinet Secretary for Interior.

    Orwoba made the claims during an appearance on the Iko Nini podcast, suggesting that Sifuna was considered for the key position during negotiations for Kenya’s broad-based government but was ultimately passed over.

    “Sifuna is bitter with President Ruto and the broad-based government because he wanted to be a Cabinet Secretary,” Orwoba stated.

    Senator Orwoba during her interview hosted by Mwafrika.
    Senator Orwoba during her interview hosted by Mwafrika.

    She specifically pointed to the Interior CS role as the source of his alleged frustration.

    Sifuna, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary-General and a prominent critic of the Kenya Kwanza administration, has previously dismissed speculation about joining Ruto’s government.

    In May 2025, he categorically ruled out accepting any cabinet position, stating: “Even at the magnanimity of President William Ruto, I would not accept any office to be part of the current regime.”

    Orwoba’s claims have drawn varied responses on social media, with some questioning their validity.

    One user directly challenged Sifuna, asking whether the remarks constituted defamation, referencing Orwoba’s recent legal troubles.

    The comments come as Orwoba faces her own difficulties.

    On July 15, 2025, the Milimani Commercial Court ordered her to pay Ksh 10.5 million in damages to Senate Clerk Jeremiah Nyegenye for defamatory social media posts accusing him of sexual harassment.

    The court ruled that her allegations were malicious and lacked evidence. Orwoba has vowed to appeal the judgment.

    Additionally, Orwoba was expelled from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) in May 2025 for alleged disloyalty, including her association with former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i. This led to her Senate seat being declared vacant.

    Despite her expulsion, Orwoba remains a polarizing figure known for her advocacy on gender issues and vocal critiques of government policies.

    Sifuna has not publicly responded to Orwoba’s claims. Political analysts suggest the allegations could further strain relations between ODM and the Kenya Kwanza government as opposition leaders navigate their roles in the evolving political landscape.

    The Interior CS position, critical for national security and coordination, remains a focal point of political intrigue, with Orwoba’s comments adding to ongoing speculation about cabinet appointments and opposition dynamics.

  • Raila Calls on Supporters To Ignore Standard Newspaper; Terms Its Reporting Malicious

    Raila Calls on Supporters To Ignore Standard Newspaper; Terms Its Reporting Malicious

    NAIROBI — Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga has urged his supporters to disregard reporting by The Standard newspaper, accusing the media house of running a malicious campaign against him and his family.

    In a strongly-worded statement issued Tuesday by the party’s Secretary General Senator Edwin Sifuna, ODM condemned what it termed as a “campaign of demonising and tarnishing” Mr. Odinga’s person, career, standing, and legacy by The Standard Newspapers.

    The statement particularly referenced The Standard’s lead story published on Monday, May 5, 2025, which ODM described as “misleading” and “packed with lies, malice, mischief, and a clear vendetta against the Odinga family.”

    “We appeal to our supporters to refuse to be blackmailed, arm twisted and intimidated by a company that is pursuing a disguised political and profit motive,” read part of the statement dated May 6, 2025.

    According to ODM, The Standard’s coverage is motivated by both political and profit interests, with the newspaper allegedly attempting to “blackmail and arm twist Mr. Odinga and ODM into supporting the political position of the owners and management of the Standard Group.”

    The opposition party claimed that the newspaper’s Monday coverage falsely suggested that family members of the former Prime Minister who currently hold elective and appointive positions owe their positions to a political agreement between the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and ODM.

    “The unmistakable insinuation in The Standard’s narrative is that anyone bearing the Odinga name has no place in Kenya’s public life — whether in elective, appointive, or even voluntary service,” the statement continued.

    The party acknowledged that The Standard correctly reported that Raila Odinga currently holds no government office, his brother Oburu Odinga is an elected Senator, and his sister Winnie Odinga is a duly elected Member of the East African Legislative Assembly.

    However, ODM took issue with the newspaper’s attribution of these positions to what it called a “handshake” agreement, claiming this undermines “the credibility of legitimate electoral and parliamentary processes.”

    The statement also referenced Dr. Wenwa Akinyi Oranga, reportedly a daughter of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, who allegedly was dismissed from her position as Chief Chemist at the Pyrethrum Board of Kenya upon discovery of her family connection.

    ODM accused The Standard of serving “the political interests of a well-known family whose own members have simultaneously held multiple elective offices,” alleging double standards in the newspaper’s reporting.

    The party emphasized its support for “every Kenyan holding an appointive or elective position regardless of family or region of origin, the Odingas included,” and reminded The Standard that “Kenya is a constitutional democracy founded on equality, fairness, and merit – not inherited exclusion.”

    The Standard newspaper had not responded to ODM’s allegations by press time.

  • Even With ODM Support, Ruto Will Lose In 2027, Sifuna Reiterates

    Even With ODM Support, Ruto Will Lose In 2027, Sifuna Reiterates

    Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has said that President William Ruto stands to lose 2027 elections, even with Raila Odinga’s support, citing incompetence and loss of public support.

    Sifuna said Ruto has failed to manage the country’s internal and international affairs, making the grounds for re-election severely slim.

    Appearing on Citizen TV Thursday morning, Sifuna argued Ruto’s administration has destroyed lives, weakened the economy, and allowed the killing of people.

    Sifuna, who douples up as Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretarty General, said the party will not support Ruto’s administration, as suggested by some party members.

    He criticized a section of ODM MPs who pledged support for Ruto following the African Union Commission (AUC) election.

    “As ODM, I’m telling you, and I’ve said it on this show, my position is that even if ODM supports Ruto, Ruto will still lose. I have said it here, and I repeat it. So, I want to make it very clear that, as a party, we do not support either the internal affairs or the external affairs of this country as they are being run,” Sifuna said.

    The Secretary General emphasized that ODM is a party of order and hierarchy, and the decision on whom to support lies with its leader, Raila Odinga.

    Sifuna urged ODM members to remain steadfast and wait for Raila’s directive upon his return.

    He dismissed speculations that Ruto’s support for Raila during the AUC chairmanship race would influence ODM’s political direction.

    “Are you telling me that if William Ruto had driven off and left Raila behind, there would have been no vehicle to take him to the venue? Let’s be serious as a party,” Sifuna said while commenting on Ruto’s move to share a ride on his official car with Raila.

    This statement comes as the ODM party navigates a turbulent political storm, with internal divisions deepening over whether to support President Ruto’s government.

    The debate arose after President Ruto showed immense support for ODM’s party leader during the AUC campaigning period and the election itself.

    However, Raila lost the AUC seat to Djibouti’s Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf in a fiercely contested race. Youssouf secured the two-thirds threshold with 33 votes in the seventh round of voting.

    Youssouf’s victory marks Kenya’s second unsuccessful attempt to secure the AUC chairmanship, following a similar defeat in 2017 when Moussa Faki of Chad defeated Kenya’s candidate, Amina Mohamed.

    Raila conceded defeat in the race, expressing gratitude to his supporters and emphasizing the importance of respecting democratic processes in Africa.

    “I had offered myself as a candidate. Over the last few months, I have traveled across the continent, engaging with different leaders and canvassing for their votes. Today, they have expressed their will,” Odinga said.

    “As it is, we did not succeed. We must strengthen democracy on the African continent, and I am therefore conceding defeat. I want us to use this as an example of how to reinforce democratic values across Africa.”

    Odinga congratulated Youssouf and wished him success in his new role.

    “I want to wish my competitor, Ali Youssouf, all the best and success in his new role. I also want to thank all the member states who voted for me—and those who did not—because, in doing so, they exercised their democratic rights. This is how democracy should work,” he added.

  • The Great Rift In ODM

    The Great Rift In ODM

    Some leaders opposed to the broad-based government launched scathing attacks at their counterparts who have in the past criticised ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna.

    The decision of whether the Orange Democratic Movement Party led by Raila Odinga is just helping President William Ruto in governance or will support his reelection bid seems to be creating cracks in the opposition outfit.

    The rift grew open over the weekend during the party’s Western Region Convention in Kakamega where leaders and delegates present clashed on a myriad of issues facing the party, including what some of them termed as the party’s Central Management Committee unilaterally making decisions without involving other members, with the latest being a decision to work with the government.

    Some leaders opposed to the broad-based government launched scathing attacks at their counterparts who have in the past criticised ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna.

    Sifuna has remained one of the few voices consistently challenging the government despite the party’s newly formed political arrangement.

    Some of the leaders led by Saboti MP Caleb Amisi and his Lugari counterpart Nabii Nabwera faulted the party’s double-stand approach in working with the government.

    ”When Baba (Raila Odinga) returns from his AU engagements, we will convene here and expect the party leadership to clarify whether we are in government or not,” Amisi stated, warning that failure to do so could lead to a divided ODM.

    ”If we fail to address this, we risk ending up with two ODMs—one in government and the other in the opposition,” he added.

    The events saw the leadership of the party led by its chairperson Gladys Wanga intervene to avoid what would have spiraled into a clash.

    2027 polls

    According to the Homa Bay governor, the party was not keen on reinforcing the perception that it was aligning with the government. She suggested that the party had already decided to field candidates for all elective seats in the 2027 elections.

    ”We asked about our position as ODM on this matter of the broad-based and the rest. We have said three things, one among them is that the party is a distinct one because the purpose of any political party is to get power,” Wanga said.

    ODM Deputy Party leader Simba Arati further suggested that there was no way they could accept the party being merged with UDA, alleging that the latter was ‘dead.’

    ”Your Excellency William Ruto, we as ODM cannot get into UDA. UDA is dead politically,” Arati shared.

    However, on the issue of Sifuna’s sustained attacks on the government, the party’s interim leader Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o told off those opposed to the SG, insisting that the party had full belief in him.

    ”Edwin Sifuna is somebody we have full confidence in and I would like you to give him full support,” Nyong’o maintained.

    In a recent media interview where Sifuna was asked whether there a direct instruction from the party leader on how ODM should engage with the government, he said that the central committee was given instructions in three-fold, the first one was to retain the identity of the party, second, to remain true to our values and last one, to prepare the party for elections.

    “Unless and until Raila changes the instructions, we will remain true to them. He has demonstrated that if something is at odds with the values of the party, we should speak out.” Said Sifuna.

    He went ahead to say that those against the party are expressing their democratic rights, “If you think there are positivities from Ruto’s presidency and you want to give him another term that is your right. But I also have a right to say my party will be fielding a presidential candidate.”

  • Orengo Sounds Warning To ODM Members In Govt Against Turning Into Ruto’s Sycophants

    Orengo Sounds Warning To ODM Members In Govt Against Turning Into Ruto’s Sycophants

    Siaya County Governor James Orengo has urged leaders in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) to uphold the party’s core identity and values.

    Orengo made the remarks during the funeral of Roseline Odede, the chairperson of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), held in Uyoma, Rarieda Sub-County, on Saturday, January 18, 2025.

    Orengo cautioned ODM members against following President William Ruto blindly without questioning the errors in his administration urging them to be on the right side of history.

    “The law can never be suspended, you must always live by the dictates of the Constitution. When (Adolf) Hitler formed the government, it was a coalition and that coalition died so I pray that ODM to withstand any storm,” he said.

    “Even if you make compromises, you must do so on principle. Don’t be part of praise and worship, we must stand firm.”

    The governor raised concerns about the surge in abduction cases these past months; calling on the government to put an end to the menace.

    “Kenya is crying that we must stop abductions, and extrajudicial killings so that we can be a republic. When there is too much sycophancy in government, people lose sight of their fundamentals.”

    Orengo emphasized the need for ODM leaders to prioritize principles over convenience, warning of future repercussions if they compromised the party’s values.

    He referenced the late Roseline Odede’s courage in standing against human rights abuses, including abductions and extrajudicial killings.

    “We (ODM) have an identity. If you lose that identity for easy victories, we are going to pay for it in the future. If you must make compromises, you must make compromises on matters of principle. Do not be part of praise and worship,” he stated.

    Adding;

    “I want my conscience to be clear. When there were abductions, I said no to that. I am saying this because Roseline, this December, not three years ago, told the government to stop abductions and stop extrajudicial killings. And when she did that, they took away the money for the commission, and workers could not be paid. That is why I am saying, when there is too much sycophancy, people lose sight of their fundamentals.”

    Sifuna reprimands ODM leaders

    ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna also used the platform to express his dissatisfaction with a section of ODM leaders who he said were more focused on aligning with President William Ruto’s government than addressing the plight of ordinary Kenyans. Sifuna lamented that such actions have hindered efforts to hold the government accountable.

    “We must stop being sycophants. If something is wrong, it is wrong. I will not participate in the activities of my fellow ODM members who are enjoying the fruits of being in Ruto’s government and are stifling my efforts to call out the government,” he said.

    Sifuna reiterated the need to uphold the party’s foundational principles, as envisioned by ODM leader Raila Odinga.

    He disclosed that Odinga had tasked him with preserving ODM’s identity as a symbol of hope for Kenyans, regardless of the outcome of Odinga’s bid for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship.

    “When you decided to run for the AUC, you told me as the Secretary General of ODM that we must retain the identity of our political party as a beacon of hope for Kenyans. This is what I aspire to do, whether you succeed or not,” Sifuna asserted.

  • Sifuna Reveals The Amount President Ruto Pays MPs To Visit State House

    Sifuna Reveals The Amount President Ruto Pays MPs To Visit State House

    Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has accused some Members of Parliament (MPs) of accepting meager handouts, allegedly as low as Ksh100,000, during meetings with President William Ruto at State House.

    Speaking on January 15, Sifuna criticized these MPs, suggesting the amount was too insignificant for their positions as national leaders.

    Sifuna claimed the amounts given to MPs by the President were insubstantial, asserting he could personally loan Ksh100,000 to Ruto if needed:

    “When you hear these members talking, some of them are called to State House for as low as Ksh100,000. That is money I can personally give Ruto.”

    The senator, who also serves as the Secretary-General of ODM, argued that his responsibilities in the party outweigh those of some MPs who, according to him, prioritize personal gain over service to the public. He accused certain ODM members of aligning with the President for minor favors, such as Teachers Service Commission (TSC) recruitment letters:

    “Some elected members are making noise because, over Christmas, Ruto gave them 10 TSC letters to employ their cronies.”

    Sifuna emphasized the importance of establishing a fair employment system where opportunities are based on qualifications rather than political connections. He urged young job seekers to remain patient while reforms are implemented:

    “Some young people have waited for jobs for eight years. I am sure they can wait two more years while we build a country where knowing someone is not a requirement to access employment opportunities.”

  • Sifuna Demands Uhuru Park Reopening, Questions Delay

    Sifuna Demands Uhuru Park Reopening, Questions Delay

    Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has demanded the reopening of Uhuru Park questioning the delay months after the renovations were concluded.

    Senator Sifuna wrote to Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale questioning the underlying issues that have led to the delay in reopening the park for public access.

    The Senator said he has received numerous complaints from the public over the closure.

    Uhuru Park and Central Park were closed to the public in February 2022 by the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) to rehabilitate with Nairobi County government committing to open the facility in December last year.

    “Close to four months later the facility remain inaccessible occasioning great inconvenience to the residents of Nairobi and to the thousands of visitors the city receives on a daily basis,” Sifuna stated.

    The Nairobi Senator also sought answers on whether the public facility was handed over to Nairobi County Government following the renovation that were being undertaken by the defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) in conjunction with the military.

    As of October, last year, works at Uhuru Park were said to have been completed.

    “If not, what underlying issues continue to delay the return of the park to public use and when can Nairobians expect to resume the use of the park?” Sifuna posed.

    The closure of the iconic parks for renovation did not sit well with a section of Kenyans who claimed that it was a land-grabbing scheme.

    Uhuru Park was briefly opened in December 2023 to enable Kenyans who hadn’t traveled upcountry for the festivities to access the entertainment park.

    Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja had said the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) was finalizing a few renovations anticipating the park will be opened by April 2024.