ODM’s Western test: Sifuna and Oburu factions flex muscle as Ruto factor looms

A political showdown looms this weekend as the two rival Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) factions take their popularity contest to Western Kenya.

While the increasingly popular faction led by the ‘suspended’ Secretary General Edwin Sifuna and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino will be at the Amalemba Grounds in Kakamega town today, the rival faction headed by acting party leader and Siaya Senator Dr Oburu Oginga will be at Ahindi Grounds in Siaya town for a meet-the-people tour.

Sifuna in a statement on his social media account released Thursday confirmed that the Kakamega rally will be at the Amalemba Grounds.

“It is official, the Linda Mwananchi rally will be held at Amalemba Grounds,” Sifuna wrote, ending speculation over the venue of the faction’s third meeting after two hugely successful rallies in Busia town two weeks ago and last Sunday’s rally in Kitengela, Kajiado county.

The Siaya rally, also to be held today on the other hand follows a tumultuous week for the Oburu Oginga’s Linda Ground faction which was forced to endure hostile crowds in Kisumu city and Ahero town.

At both rallies, ODM Chairperson Gladys Wanga was jeered and heckled by angry crowds who accused the Oburu faction of flirting with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance Party for their own selfish gain at the expense of the ordinary Kenyans.

Seemingly rattled by the growing popularity of the Sifuna faction especially after the Kitengela rally, President Ruto held a meeting with at least ten MPs from Kakamega county on Monday with insiders revealing that various strategies to counter Saturday’s Linda Mwananchi rally were discussed.

Among the strategies discussed, according to a source who was in attendance was to have elected leaders from the area issue statements cautioning locals against attending the event over security reasons.

“There was a suggestion that we go public and warn wananchi to keep off the rally given what happened in Kitengela on Sunday where one person was killed, but many of those in attendance appeared reluctant given the mood on the ground,” said the source.

President Ruto later issued a statement on his X account, only stating that the meeting discussed the status of ongoing development projects in the county and the Western region at large and resolved to fast track them.
Among the MPs in attendance included Butere’s Tindi Mwale, Emmanuel Wangwe (Navakholo), Nabii Nabwera (Lugari) and Oscar Nabulindo (Matungu).

Speaking ahead of the Saturday rally in Kakamega, Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi warned against any attempts by the police to disrupt it, saying it will backfire.
“We are going to Kakamega on Saturday and let the security agencies not try to disrupt our meeting like they did in Kitengela because it will not work, the people are determined to have their voices heard.”

Asked whether the local ODM MPs were expected, Osotsi retorted; “We are going directly to the people, they (MPs) can attend if they so wish but the people are our hosts.”
In a clear sign of shifting political sands, two of the MPs who attended Monday’s meeting with President Ruto at State House Nairobi appeared to voice their support for Sifuna.

In separate statements, Wangwe and Nabwera warned against any attempts to elbow out the Nairobi Senator from ODM saying such move would not be taken kindly by the ODM fraternity in Western Kenya.

“I want to make it clear that any attempts to remove Sifuna from ODM will not be taken kindly by our people. We cannot be talking about a union between ODM and UDA on how to form the next government without our people on the negotiating table,” said Wangwe.

Nabwera on his part condemned Sifuna removal from the Secretary General’s position without being a chance to be heard.

Speculation has been rife over the last two weeks that Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya is quietly supporting the Sifuna faction.

The speculation mounted following his questioning of the millions of shillings being spent on holding the Linda Ground rallies by the Oburu faction.

Similar concerns had been raised by Sifuna, Siaya governor James Orengo, ODM National Treasurer Timothy Bosire and Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga.

The Oburu faction has maintained a deafening silence over the matter.

And as the widening rift within the Orange party intensified, Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi who is allied to the Oburu faction appeared to tone down on his previous stance that Sifuna be expelled from the party, instead calling for a truce.

Mbadi, the immediate former ODM chairman, had previously insisted that Sifuna and his allies ought to be kicked out of ODM since they had shifted their allegiance to the United Opposition.

He had maintained that Sifuna and his allies could not continue holding ODM hostage.

“If someone does not want to agree with ODM policies, that person should be left to go so that we know how many people he is leaving with.Someone like Sifuna will not remain in ODM because already he is conflicted. He is now selling the agenda of someone else. Why are you pretending? You cannot keep him in the party,” he said, a push which culminated in the party’s National Executive Committee kicking out Sifuna and replacing him with Busia Woman Representative Catherine Omanyo.

Orengo however defended Sifuna arguing that legally, he remains the party secretary general, as he cannot be removed by those allegedly in office illegally.

“How can you remove a substantive party Secretary General when your appointment was an illegality? The plotters are in office illegally and do not have locus standi,” he said.

On Wednesday, Mbadi appeared to change tune, instead calling for a truce between the two factions to avoid the party splitting further.

“Can you come and tell us why you strongly feel you want to go to the other side and not President Ruto? Come and convince us. This disjointed statement is causing tension,” he said.

Mbadi said the elders were concerned about the emerging division in the party and the community, which they termed unhealthy.

“I met with elders from 17 constituencies in Nairobi and four counties around Nairobi, mainly Machakos, Kiambu, and Kajiado, and they were led by Mzee Tom Odongo.