Opposition must unite or hand Ruto easy win in poll, says Sifuna

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has revealed that his Linda Mwananchi team will join the United Alternative Government in a broad strategy aimed at unseating President William Ruto in next year’s elections.

The ODM Secretary-General said the two sides must agree on a clear formula to produce a strong joint candidate who will face the President, warning that failure to do so could split votes and hand Ruto an unfair advantage.

According to Sifuna, the teams will hold structured talks to agree on a process for selecting a candidate with the best ideals and integrity to help steer the country back to its core values.

“I have said clearly that the formula to remove Ruto will require candid and serious negotiations and strategy because it will not be easy. He is an astute and veteran politician who also has a strong following,” Sifuna said.

In an interview with Spice FM and later Radio Maisha, Sifuna reiterated that both opposition camps must remain focused on restoring the country’s values.

“Kenya does not have hardware problems. It is not about roads, markets or shiny things. It is about social justice, values, human rights, democracy, freedoms and the rule of law. If Kenyans can agree with us that we can build a stadium and still not kill our youths, then we must agree on a framework for selecting an opposition candidate,” he said.

The senator insisted that if the opposition is serious about unseating Ruto, it must avoid presenting a candidate who mirrors him.

“I urge Kenyans to allow this process to take shape so that we can put the country back on the rails of values. Whoever becomes our flag bearer should not resemble Ruto in any way, not even in appearance,” he said.

Responding to growing calls for him to join the presidential race, Sifuna dismissed the pressure, saying his mission is not personal ambition.

“I will not be pressured or propped up to vie for the presidency. I have heard people say that if I don’t run, they are done with me, but I caution Kenyans that this is not about me. We are trying to liberate this country. We want a nation where leaders understand that it is Kenyans who are the bosses and can send them home if they fail,” he said.

“While I appreciate that some Kenyans want me to go for the presidency, I must say they do not really know me. I also have flaws. I am not perfect. We need to be tested, and everyone’s history should be put on the table and subjected to scrutiny. We want a presidential candidate who can be questioned on issues such as murders, land grabbing and corruption claims,” he added.

While maintaining that he remains a committed member of the ODM party, Sifuna said it was not too late for the Linda Ground faction, led by Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga and Homa Bay governor Gladys Wanga, to reconsider its support for President Ruto’s two-term bid and instead listen to the wishes of their supporters.

He argued that, based on his recent rallies in ODM strongholds, it was clear that many party supporters were uncomfortable with the leadership’s decision to back Ruto’s re-election.

Sifuna also dismissed claims that their political activities are being funded by former President Uhuru Kenyatta, saying instead that they rely on contributions from well-wishers, including ordinary citizens, MPs, and allies linked to the late Raila Odinga.

“We pay our DJs from the Sh10 that our supporters give us. There is a man called Njoroge who supplied tents for Raila and has continued to do so for our activities after we agreed on a flat rate. We have a Linda Mwananchi group where people channel their contributions to our treasurer, Osotsi. In the case of the Kisumu rally, we only spent Sh3 million on stage, sound and security. With an MP donating Sh100,000, it is easy to raise the money,” he said.

However, the senator defended former President Uhuru Kenyatta, describing him as a friend of ODM who did all he could to support Raila’s bid for the presidency during the 2022 General Election, while dismissing claims that he failed to fully deploy state power in his favour.

“Uhuru campaigned for Raila and supported him. What was left for us was to convince Kenyans that we were the best option. Some claimed he was supposed to use instruments of power to make Raila president, but he could not do that because he is a democrat. I will forever respect Uhuru for the role he played,” he said.

Sifuna further disclosed that he had once offered to resign to allow the party to find a more suitable Secretary-General to work with the party leader, but said ODM party leader Oburu Oginga convinced him to stay, before later alleging that the Linda Ground team came under pressure from President Ruto to push him out of office.

“We met at Chungwa House and sat in Raila’s office. I told Oburu I was aware he had publicly expressed comfort with me in this position, but the relationship between the party leader and the secretary-general is very intimate and if there are tensions, it may not work. I asked him directly whether he still held those views, and he persuaded me not to resign,” he said.

He said there were three attempts to reconcile the warring factions within ODM, but claimed the efforts collapsed amid allegations that some actors were receiving briefings from President Ruto.

“The first time was at Chungwa House, when we shook hands with Oburu. Then we went to Ida Odinga’s home, where we agreed to pursue reconciliation. However, when we later visited Timothy Bosire’s home on the day of the planned meeting with Oburu, he did not show up,” he said.

On the third attempt, Sifuna said they met at Bosire’s home alongside Amos Wako and Osotsi, where Oburu read out resolutions indicating that the group would pursue reconciliation before implementing leadership changes.

“To my amazement, the Linda Ground team went through Ruto, and the following day, I saw them in Mombasa reading out resolutions announcing my removal. They were never intended for dialogue,” he added.