{"id":123381,"date":"2025-10-19T12:06:47","date_gmt":"2025-10-19T12:06:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/index.php\/2025\/10\/19\/defiant-sifuna-promises-ruto-backers-a-duel-in-2027-amid-rift-over-party-future\/"},"modified":"2025-10-19T12:06:47","modified_gmt":"2025-10-19T12:06:47","slug":"defiant-sifuna-promises-ruto-backers-a-duel-in-2027-amid-rift-over-party-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/defiant-sifuna-promises-ruto-backers-a-duel-in-2027-amid-rift-over-party-future\/","title":{"rendered":"Defiant Sifuna promises Ruto backers a duel in 2027 amid rift over party future"},"content":{"rendered":"

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 19 \u2014 ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna has vowed to defend the party against internal divisions, declaring his commitment to protecting Raila Odinga\u2019s political legacy and uniting the movement ahead of the 2027 General Election.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Speaking during Odinga\u2019s burial service in Bondo on Sunday, Sifuna said party leaders must set an example of unity and resist what he described as \u201copen provocation\u201d intended to fracture the party.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven in the face of open provocation \u2014 you know what I am talking about \u2014 Rev. Wesonga has said Baba would always listen to the people. I want to encourage the leadership of ODM to keep silent and listen to the people on what they want us to do with the party,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The ODM Secretary-General recalled Odinga\u2019s remarks at a leadership meeting in September, asserting that the late opposition chief had made it clear the party would be on the ballot.<\/p>\n

\u201cBaba spoke openly before MPs at Argyle, Nairobi, on the 22nd of last month. I ask leaders not to put words in the mouth of the dead. He said himself that as a party, we must prepare for the 2027 polls,\u201d Sifuna emphasized.<\/p>\n

The Nairobi Senator reaffirmed his loyalty to Odinga\u2019s vision, saying he would not be part of any political schemes that weaken the party.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince Baba fell ill, I\u2019ve been asking myself what I will do to make him proud. This is not the time to push divisive narratives in ODM,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will not be among those who contribute to the failure of the party of Raila Odinga. ODM is one of his greatest legacies, and I will do everything in my power to keep it united.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018Matching order\u2019 <\/h2>\n

Sifuna reminded members of Odinga\u2019s final public instruction, insisting the party already has its marching orders.<\/p>\n

\u201cBaba told us openly that we must prepare for the 2027 polls. Those saying otherwise are misleading the country. We will follow his last instruction.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sifuna\u2019s remarks come amid growing tension within ODM, with some officials calling for his removal over what they term his defiance and criticism of efforts to build closer ties with President William Ruto.<\/p>\n

Several pro-Ruto ODM leaders have accused Sifuna of undermining emerging political realignments between the opposition party and the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition. Some have even suggested that ODM should back Ruto\u2019s re-election bid in 2027.<\/p>\n

However, Sifuna has rejected the idea, maintaining that ODM must field its own presidential candidate and remain true to its founding ideals.<\/p>\n

\u201cODM has its own identity and mission. We cannot abandon that,\u201d he has repeatedly said in recent days.<\/p>\n

The calls for Sifuna\u2019s ouster, insiders say, are part of a broader struggle over the party\u2019s direction in the post-Raila era, as the movement grapples with how to sustain unity and relevance after the passing of its longtime leader.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 19 \u2014 ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna has vowed to defend the party against internal divisions, declaring his commitment to protecting Raila Odinga\u2019s political legacy and uniting the movement ahead of the 2027 General Election. Speaking during Odinga\u2019s burial service in Bondo on Sunday, Sifuna said party leaders must set an example of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-123381","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","entry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123381","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=123381"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123381\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=123381"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=123381"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=123381"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}