ODM leader Ruth Odinga, a sister to the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, has come out in defence of Nairobi Senator and party Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna as fresh cracks emerge within the party over its cooperation with President William Ruto’s administration.
Her intervention comes amid visible divisions in ODM, with Suna East MP Junet Mohamed and Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga—Raila Odinga’s brother—openly supporting the government and backing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between President Ruto and Raila Odinga in March 2025.
In a strongly worded statement, Ms Odinga said the backlash against Mr Sifuna following his recent interview on Citizen TV exposed how quickly political allegiances are shifting within the party, particularly after the MoU.
She noted that Mr Sifuna, who has been labelled a “rebel” by sections of ODM aligned to the government, merely raised questions that many party supporters have been asking, especially over the funding of high-profile Linda Ground conventions.
“As a signatory to the ODM account, if he questions where all the money for choppers, big tents and ODM-branded T-shirts and caps is coming from, why should anyone abuse him?” she posed.
Ms Odinga said Mr Sifuna had admitted that ODM had not spent any money on the campaigns, despite activities running into millions of shillings. She questioned whether governors, MPs through the Constituency Development Fund, or unnamed philanthropists were funding the events—and what influence such financiers wield over the party.
She linked the controversy to the government’s failure to release funds owed to ODM under the Political Parties Act, saying the party is owed Sh12 billion based on its parliamentary strength.
“The government has the option of releasing the funds to the party, but when that happens, they will lack control,” she said, arguing that external financing allows those running the show to determine who attends party events and what they are allowed to say.
Ms Odinga cited the heckling of Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo at a recent function in Kisumu as evidence that dissenting voices are being silenced, even as senior ODM figures aligned to the government enjoy protection.
She questioned why Mr Sifuna’s declaration that the MoU was “dead” should be viewed as treasonous, noting that the agreement is nearing expiry with little progress on its implementation.
“If President Ruto does not honour an agreement he signed with Raila Odinga, how sure are you that he will honour the pre-election pact you are all talking about?” she asked.
As the March 7 deadline tied to the MoU approaches, Ms Odinga said responsibility lies squarely with President Ruto, not the committee implementing the 10-point agenda, warning that ODM risks deepening internal fractures by attacking voices calling for accountability.
“The buck stops with the bearer of the signature,” she said, adding that she spoke out to avoid being accused of silence as political pressure within the party continues to mount.
