Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has accused Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa of turning against him after he helped mobilise support for his election in 2022, exposing growing political differences in Western Kenya ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking during a Linda Mwananchi mobilisation tour of Kakamega on Saturday, Sifuna recalled being dispatched to the county by then-ODM leader Raila Odinga to campaign for Barasa during the 2022 gubernatorial election.
The senator said he worked alongside then-Deputy Governor Ayub Savula to mobilise votes for Barasa, only for their relationship to deteriorate after the governor took office.
Sifuna said he expected Barasa to recognise the role he and other ODM leaders played in securing his victory but instead accused the governor of treating him as a political enemy.
“Nilikuja hapa, tukatembea na Mheshimiwa Savula, anajua, tukitafutia Fernandes Barasa kura hapa. Tapi, yule jamaa alinigeuka style ingine sijawahi kuona. Baada ya yeye kuingia kwa ofisi, amefanya Sifuna ni kama adui yake,” Sifuna said.
The Nairobi senator further accused Barasa of mistreating him despite the governor having been among leaders who supported his rise within ODM.
“Ameninyanyasa. Yeye ndio baadhi ya wale ambao walikuwa wanapiga makofi wakati mimi nakukuzwa ndani ya chama cha ODM,” he said.
Barasa shifts towards Ruto
The fallout between the two leaders comes against the backdrop of a wider political realignment in Western Kenya, where Barasa has taken a markedly different position from Sifuna on the direction of the region ahead of the 2027 elections.
Barasa has repeatedly called on Western Kenya leaders to support President William Ruto's re-election, arguing that the region has benefited from working with the national government.
In June, the governor said Western Kenya was united behind Mr Ruto's bid for a second term and that the region should use the 2027 election to prepare for a bid for the presidency in 2032.
The governor has also backed ODM's cooperation with the Kenya Kwanza administration. In April, he said collaboration between ODM leaders and the national government was already delivering results.
His position contrasts sharply with Sifuna's Linda Mwananchi campaign, which has been mobilising support around opposition to Mr Ruto's re-election.
Sifuna used his Kakamega address to make clear that Barasa's political alignment would not shield him from the opposition campaign.
“Sasa Barasa nataka nikuambie leo, vile tunapatia William Ruto ‘one-term’, hata Barasa akanyage kubwa kubwa. Mnanielewa?” Sifuna said.
The warning signals a potentially deeper political contest in Kakamega, where the governor is seeking to consolidate his influence while Sifuna attempts to build a grassroots opposition movement beyond Nairobi.
Barasa's political position has increasingly been tied to the broader argument that Western Kenya should abandon its traditional opposition posture and work with the national government to secure development benefits and a stronger bargaining position in future political arrangements.
He has said the region should focus on supporting Mr Ruto in 2027 while preparing to seek the presidency in 2032.
The disagreement therefore goes beyond the personal relationship between Sifuna and Barasa. It reflects the broader battle over whether Western Kenya should remain firmly in the opposition camp or work with the Ruto administration.
Sifuna builds Western Kenya base
Sifuna has in recent months stepped up his political activities outside Nairobi through Linda Mwananchi, seeking to build a national grassroots network as opposition leaders position themselves for the 2027 contest.
His Kakamega visit comes as rival political camps seek to consolidate support in Western Kenya, traditionally a crucial constituency for opposition politics.
The senator's growing profile has also attracted the backing of Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, who accompanied him during the mobilisation tour and openly endorsed his presidential ambitions.
“Hata kama wameenda, kazi ya kukuinua wewe nitaifanya, kwa sababu mimi ndiye kiboko ya Oparanya hapa Kakamega,” Khalwale said.
Khalwale's endorsement places him firmly in Sifuna's camp as the Nairobi senator seeks to transform his national profile and challenge established political figures for influence in Western Kenya.
His reference to former Kakamega governor Wycliffe Oparanya also underlined the contest for political influence in the county, where established leaders and emerging figures are positioning themselves ahead of 2027.
For Sifuna, publicly recounting his role in Barasa's 2022 campaign and accusing the governor of subsequently turning against him is also a warning to other Western Kenya leaders who may be considering alliances with the Ruto administration.
