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\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/4568074b-2936-419d-8c97-be8df2afb6f4.jpeg\")
Nairobi Senator and ODM secretary general Edwin SifunaNairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna political star appears to be
\nrising steadily, leading to speculation he may be destined for a bigger role in
\nthe country\u2019s political dispensation.<\/p>\n
\n
\nWithin the United Opposition, Sifuna is seen as a potential
\ncompromise candidate for running mate position as an alternative to Trans Nzoia
\nGovernor George Natembeya, who has announced that he will be defending his
\ngubernatorial seat.<\/p>\n
\n
\nSifuna, who is the de facto leader of the Kenya Moja
\nAlliance and also the secretary general of the Orange Democratic Movement, has
\nbeen hitting the headlines for many weeks now.<\/p>\n
\n
\nThere was a push to have him fired from his secretary
\ngeneral role in ODM and also de-whipped from parliamentary leadership, a move
\nthat was nipped in the bud following the intervention of key figures, including
\nIda Odinga.<\/p>\n
\n
\nMigori Senator Eddie Oketch wrote a letter on Monday
\npetitioning ODM to start the process of removing Sifuna for allegedly
\nundermining the party\u2019s role in the broad-based government.<\/p>\n
\n
\nA day later, he withdrew the petition, saying that after
\nsoul-searching and advice, he had agreed to the move to give way for talks in
\nODM to solve the internal wrangles.<\/p>\n
\n
\nBetween late last month and the first weekend of this month,
\nSifuna opened a Pandora\u2019s box when he claimed that top party officials, led by
\nNational Assembly minority leader Junet Mohamed, \u2018ate\u2019 money meant for the late
\nRaila Odinga\u2019s presidential campaign.<\/p>\n
\n
\nThis is after Junet and Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga
\naccused former President Uhuru Kenyatta of trying to buy ODM using Sifuna and
\nhis allies.<\/p>\n
\n
\nSpeaking during the burial of former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo
\non December 30, Sifuna \u2018apologised\u2019 to Uhuru, who was at the funeral, on behalf
\nof \u2018washenzi\u2019 (fools) in ODM who were dragging his name to party wrangles yet
\nthey \u2018ate\u2019 all the monies Uhuru gave for Raila\u2019s failed bid.<\/p>\n
\n
\nIn a rejoinder, Junet denied the claims, saying the kitty
\nmeant for agents was controlled from a private office in Westlands manned by
\nUhuru\u2019s younger brother Muhoho Kenyata and his aide Peter Mburu.<\/p>\n
\n
\nThe public exchanges continued into New Year, with Sifuna
\ndaring those who want him out to bring it on.<\/p>\n
\n
\nSpeaking at the burial of Embakasi North MP James Gakuya\u2019s
\nmother Alice Gakuya on January 3, he said he will not let anyone dictate who
\nhis friends or enemies should be.<\/p>\n
\n
\nSifuna said Nairobi being a cosmopolitan constituency, he
\nhas to reach out to all communities, unlike some of his adversaries who come
\nfrom a homogenous constituency, before declaring his allegiance to the \u2018Wantam\u2019
\nmovement.<\/p>\n
\n
\n\u201cNawaambia kama ODM SG kuwa maeneo yote yaliyomuunga Raila
\nmkono yamechoka na Kasongo (I\u2019m telling you as the ODM secretary general that
\nall areas that supported Raila are tired of Kasongo (Ruto).\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\nHis tough stand against Ruto\u2019s presidency appear to be
\nendearing him to the country\u2019s opposition, with suggestions that he may be
\nconsidered for a more senior role.<\/p>\n
\n
\n\u201cHe can be Kalonzo\u2019s running mate since Natembeya still
\nwants to remain in Trans Nzoia,\u201d a source in the opposition said, adding that
\nthere are plans to elevate him to the principals\u2019 table.<\/p>\n
\n
\nThe source cited DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua\u2019s speech during
\nthat burial and also previous statements that point to Sifuna\u2019s rise within the
\nranks of the opposition.<\/p>\n
\n
\nGachagua said the opposition is in no rush to announce its
\nflagbearer, even though Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka had previously
\nindicated that the candidate would be revealed early this year.<\/p>\n
\n
\n\u201cIf we do it now, we might exclude people like our brother
\nEdwin Sifuna. Even Mzee Oburu Oginga has expressed interest in running. We need
\nto hear from everyone,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\n
\n\u201cAs the opposition, we are ready to back any person agreed
\nupon by the coalition. Whether it\u2019s Kalonzo, Fred Matiang\u2019i, Sifuna or George
\nNatembeya, we will align.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\nSifuna, 43, is seen as a youthful and charismatic leader who
\ncan excite the young voters and mobilise the populous Western Kenya voting
\nbloc.<\/p>\n
\n
\nThe region, though not known to vote as a bloc, accounts for
\nthe country\u2019s second biggest vote basket after the Mt Kenya region.<\/p>\n
\n
\nPolitical analyst Herman Manyora sees Sifuna as a potential
\ngame changer for the opposition.<\/p>\n
\n
\n\u201cIt is possible for Sifuna to be the automatic running mate
\nfor the opposition because he will be bringing in a chunk of ODM, the real big
\nchunk,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
\n
\n\u201cIf Kalonzo becomes the opposition\u2019s flag bearer, the
\nrunning mate automatically has to be a Luhya. There is Wamalwa, there is
\nNatembeya and there is Sifuna, and any time you combine this, Sifuna is bad
\nnews.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\nSifuna\u2019s Senate colleague from Nandi, Samson Cherargei,
\nhowever, thinks the ODM secretary general is facing an imminent fall
\npolitically.<\/p>\n
\n
\n\u201cSifuna is being fattened for a big slaughter politically in
\nthe fullness of time,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\n
\n\u201cHe is a newbie in politics; he will never know what
\nhappened when he is politically minced meat.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\nThe Nairobi Senator leads the amorphous Kenya Moja Alliance
\nthat includes MPs Babu Owino (Embakasi East, ODM), Caleb Amisi (Sabaoti, ODM),
\nJoshua Kimilu (Kaiti, Wiper) and Anthony Kibagendi (Kitutu Chache South, ODM).<\/p>\n
\n
\nOthers are Gathoni Wamuchomba (Githunguri, UDA), Clive
\nGisairo (Kitutu Masaba, ODM), Jack Omboka (Bumula, DAP-K), Majimbo Kalasinga
\n(Kabuchai, Ford Kenya) and Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM).<\/p>\n
\n
\nRecent opinion polls indicated that the Kenya Moja Alliance
\nhas 17 per cent support, being a potential third force, behind the United
\nOpposition\u2019s 22 per cent and the ruling UDA\u2019s 32 per cent.<\/p>\n
\n
\nOn Wednesday, Sifuna appeared to be conciliatory after
\nmeeting Raila\u2019s widow at Karen in Nairobi, saying Ida had reached out to him as
\na mother would.<\/p>\n
\n
\n\u201cMama called me today and she told me, \u2018Sifuna, you look
\nlike somebody who needs a hug.\u2019 I am eternally grateful that I have come to
\nyour home and I have gotten that hug. It is going to renew my spirit and my
\nstrength.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\nThe ODM spokesperson then declared he will not be the one to
\nbreak the party. His meeting with Ida came shortly after he had met party
\nleader Oburu Oginga earlier.<\/p>\n
\n
\nIn a statement, Oburu said Sifuna remains \u201ca sober and
\nprincipled voice, embodying the democratic ideals we believe in as a party\u201d.<\/p>\n
\n
\n“As a leader, I believe we must encourage everyone to
\nspeak their mind,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\n
\n\u201cDifferences of opinion do not mean division. Great parties,
\nlike ODM, grow through robust debate and unique challenges. That is where the
\nprogress and continuity of our party truly lie: in the hands of our young
\npeople.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Nairobi Senator and ODM secretary…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":17338,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[906,2198,80,2204,10988,1222,100,101,99],"class_list":{"0":"post-17337","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-kenya","8":"tag-906","9":"tag-edwin-sifuna","10":"tag-kenya","11":"tag-odm","12":"tag-running-mate","13":"tag-sifuna","14":"tag-star-news-kenya","15":"tag-the-star","16":"tag-the-star-newspaper"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17337","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17337"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17337\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17338"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17337"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17337"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17337"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}