ODM secretary general Edwin Sifuna is increasingly painting a portrait of a man edging out of the Orange Democratic Movement—whether by force or by choice.
Once a firebrand voice of the opposition and one of Raila Odinga’s most loyal lieutenants, Sifuna now carries the air of a man who no longer feels at home in the ODM fold.
His recent utterances, marked by blunt honesty and flashes of defiance, have fueled speculation that his days at the party’s helm are numbered.
Though he still wears the mantle of SG, observers believe Sifuna is already halfway out the door politically and emotionally.
“For any politician who wants political survival, they have to prepare to leave if they are inside. I think Sifuna made the decision long time ago because of the ground. He doesn’t want to be part of it if Raila still wants to stay there – but I predict even Raila will leave,” political analyst Prof Gitile Naituli
said.Sifuna’s blunt criticism of the broad-based government despite backing from his boss and unapologetic scathing attack against President William Ruto have not sat well with party’s oligarchs, who see him as waging an indirect war against Raila.
Raila signed a memorandum of understanding with Ruto in March that saw top-ranking members of the ODM party co-opted into Ruto’s broad-based government. The cracks widened during a popular talk show on Citizen TV on Tuesday night, where the ODM spokesman not only said the partnership with Ruto was hurting the party but also threatened to disengage should the party back the President for reelection in 2027. In the late-night interview, Sifuna publicly declared that he would resign as the SG should the party formally decide to support President Ruto’s reelection. “I have not yet resigned from the party as the SG because I still believe there is some glimmer of hope, and my party will eventually see the merger as untenable and will be back to defend and protect the people, the ground on which the party was built," Sifuna said."If the party decides to go ahead with the merger in 2027, then I will have no option but to resign as the SG."
He was responding to calls from the public to resign from the position if he thinks that the merger between ODM and UDA was not for the public good.
He said the MoU they signed is “dead”.Some party stalwarts however accuse him accusing of growing too big for his boots and pursuing a political path that is now seen as veering off the ODM script.
National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi – one of the co-opted ministers – fired back at Sifuna, terming his outbursts personal opinion which does not reflect ODM’s position.“Between the party leader and the secretary general, whose decision is final?” posed Mbadi. “I am glad he clarified that those are his personal opinions.”
The sentiments were echoed Makadara MP George Aladwa, who added that ODM gets direction only from Raila and not anybody else “talking on TV.”
“That was his (Sifuna’s) opinion; we are guided by the directions given by the party leader Raila Odinga. Those talking on television are allowed to talk. We are not leaving the broad-based government,” Aladwa said.
“He (Sifuna) is my boss in the party, but as the chair of ODM in Nairobi I am saying we are guided by the agreement signed at KICC.” Some are even speculating that Sifuna could be eyeing a bigger role on the national stage, possibly aligning with the nascent coalition led by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Wiper boss Kalonzo Musyoka.Yesterday, there was an uptick of online criticism targeting the Nairobi senator, some of it orchestrated by shadowy forces within ODM.
Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai said it was about time Sifuna crossed over to the United Opposition team. “Sifuna now the greatest supporter of Gachagua in ODM,” Alai alleged. Sifuna has, however, maintained he is loyal to the Orange party.
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