Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna now says Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka remains his coalition principal, dismissing claims of decamping from the Azimio.
Addressing the residents of Kitui County on Saturday afternoon, Sifuna affirmed that the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party is still in the opposition coalition.
According to the lawmaker, both Wiper and ODM parties were still united under Azimio despite public speculation that the ODM party had joined the Kenya Kwanza coalition.
“People fail to recognise that ODM and Wiper parties are still under one coalition called Azimio. I recognise Kalonzo Musyoka as my leader under the Azimio coalition. I also recognise Wiper party members as fellow coalition members," Sifuna asserted.
While affirming his support for the Azimio coalition, Sifuna emphasised the need for cohesion between the Wiper and ODM parties to effectively challenge the current regime.
During the event, the ODM Secretary-General also took a swipe at President William Ruto, accusing him of allegedly undermining devolution.
He noted that the current leadership, led by Ruto, had immensely failed Kenyans, including the governors, who he claimed struggled to run counties due to budget constraints.
In his speech, Sifuna maintained that his current political alignment was driven by the need for better governance rather than personal ambitions.
"You know the biggest enemy of devolution is the national government led by President William Ruto. The biggest problem in this country is at the State House," Sifuna claimed.
"My biggest goal now is not to become a governor; my goal is to ensure we get a better president who believes in devolution," the ODM principal reiterated.
The ODM Secretary General's criticism of President Ruto's administration directly contradicts that of his party leader, Raila Odinga, who just a day earlier, expressed support for the same regime.
Raila, who spoke during the burial of veteran women's rights champion Phoebe Asiyo on Friday, August 8, defended his decision to work with the Kenya Kwanza administration.
The former Prime Minister revealed that his cooperation with Ruto will stretch beyond the 2027 general elections. "When the right time comes, we will face Kenyans and tell them why we did this and where we want to go," Raila declared.
"I don't have any doubt, you can make noise the way you want, but we will be able to move beyond 2027. I am confident we will move beyond 2027, and nobody should try to threaten us," he added.
