Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has claimed that Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna will be dethroned as both the Senate's Deputy Minority whip and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General this week.
In a statement on his official X account on Monday, January 5, the lawmaker said that Sifuna's attachment to the opposition side guarantees his removal from these positions. The senator claimed this without providing any evidence.
According to Cherargei, Sifuna's move to vote yes for the impeachment of the former DP and then transitioning his camp months later, makes him untrustworthy on any political side.
"For the record, Sifuna voted yes, Debated and lobbied to impeach Gachagua in 2024 from the Deputy President of Kenya position, this shows a he is an architect of deceit, hypocrisy, and deceptive politics. Here is the evidence of the Senate Hansard," Cherargei said.
"This week ODM will remove him as the Secretary General, in the Senate we shall remove him from deputy minority whip, and he will be free to join saboteurs of Broad-based government," he added.
However, according to Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party Communications Director Philip Etale, there is no such plan. While speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Etale said ODM is not planning to oust Sifuna.
Sifuna has faced scrutiny from his political counterparts, especially within ODM, who have questioned his loyalty to the party, particularly due to his strong opposition to the Broad-Based arrangement, which he repeatedly claims is unsustainable for ODM's political growth.
Recently, the lawmaker alleged that there were schemes to sell or hand over the party to President William Ruto’s camp ahead of the 2022 General elections, claims that have unsettled party loyalists.
In a statement on his official Social Media accounts, ODM party youth league leader Kasmuel McOure described Sifuna as unfit for the SG role, and his exit would not be a big blow, as many of his supporters think.
According to Kasmuel, Sifuna should pump more of his efforts into ensuring the well-being of the people of Nairobi rather than undermining other ODM party members.
“The outgoing Secretary-General of the Orange Democratic Movement, Mr Edwin Sifuna, must be reminded in no uncertain terms that it is he who needs the Orange Democratic Movement and not the other way round, that his exit will not be a big blow as his hype men try to deceive him,” Kasmuel stated.
Sifuna Slams Junet
Speaking in Murang'a on Saturday, January 3, Sifuna further accused some senior political figures of the party, including Suna East Member of Parliament Junet Mohamed, of benefiting from Uhuru Kenyatta’s support while leaving ODM exposed on the ground during the 2022 general election.
“You Junet, when did Uhuru’s money start becoming bad? When you were eating the same, you did not even bring a penny to the party. You ate it alone," Sifuna said.
"We are waiting for a report on what happened in 2022. You ate the money and left the likes of Wamunyoro to beat us 10 nil. If not for you, we would have been in government,” he added.
Junet, in a strongly worded press statement issued after Sifuna's sentiments, rejected the accusations and accused Sifuna of “moonlighting” for Uhuru Kenyatta within ODM while demanding accountability over the failure to deploy and pay election agents.
“The answer is simple, clear, and verifiable: Former President Uhuru Kenyatta released the funds meant for election agents to his blood brother, Muhoho Kenyatta,” Junet stated.
