Sifuna backs opposition alliance to unseat Ruto in 2027

ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna’s revelation that the Linda Mwananchi team, which is opposed to negotiations on a deal to support President William Ruto in next year’s elections, is ready to work with all forces ranged against him is set to change political dynamics in the country with less than 16 months remaining to the big vote.

In a candid interview with Inooro FM on Tuesday, Sifuna also ruled out running for the presidency next year as many of his supporters have egged him on and instead rooted for a single candidate to face Ruto with a view to making him a one-term president, an objective shared by the United Opposition leaders, including former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka, People’s Liberation Party Leader Martha Karua and Jubilee Deputy Party Leader Fred Matiang’i.

“We are supposed to give Kenyans hope that we as like-minded political leaders do everything possible to remove Ruto from the office. Even if it means forming one large coalition and there being only two names on the ballot, Ruto’s and another from the opposition. However, this will need a thorough discussion to know each other’s vision for the country and what they would want to do. We want to know if our brothers also believe in the moral system, even if it means changing one thing like corruption,” he said.

The embattled Nairobi Senator, who is facing an ouster from the ODM hierarchy for opposing the broad-based government and pre-election negotiations with Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), however, admitted that task before them to remove him from power is a daunting one, and it will require the cooperation of all who agree that he is unfit to lead for another five years.

“If it takes a political alliance to have only two names on the ballot, then we will do that. If we give Ruto a chance to return, we will be doing Kenyans a disservice,” he said.

Sifuna added that Ruto should know that his removal is a national priority agenda, more than any mega project the country intends to execute.

“In my ranking removing Ruto is top even higher than getting a second terminal at JKIA or dualing Malaba-Mombasa highway, adding that there will be no room for sentiment in 2027.The project or removing Ruto does not allow room for sentiment,” he said.

He added that they are ready to work with everyone invested in removing Ruto from power, including Gachagua, adding that even he himself is not an angel.

“I am not a perfect human being but the national priority project of removing William Ruto does not allow for sentiment.”

“It will be heartbreaking to wake up in 2027 and find out that Ruto has won the election with 200,000 votes because Sifuna became tough-headed and ran for the presidency as well as Kalonzo Musyoka and the DCP party. If we give Ruto that chance of retaining the presidency, we will have failed Kenyans because it is true they are suffering and they have told us they want a different country,” Sifuna added.

He also urged former president Uhuru Kenyatta to continue supporting opposition efforts to dethrone Ruto.

Uhuru has come under criticism for his continued engagement in politics with Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei on Tuesday initiating a motion to reduce or withdraw his retirement benefits for allegedly going against the spirit of the Presidential Retirement Benefits Act.

He noted that there have been attempts to malign them by alleging they are engaged in corruption but this has not swayed public support for their cause because no tangible evidence has been adduced.

“People are trying to tarnish our name. They have called us corrupt, they have tried to call us thieves, they have insulted us and thrown many words at us. But the citizens have refused to believe them, because if there was any evidence at all, they would have produced it.”

On Wednesday, Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi added to the Linda Mwananchi pivot to the opposition when he revealed that they will use the recently registered National Renaissance Party to boost efforts to dislodge Ruto from State House come next year.

Speaking during an interview, Saboti MP Caleb Amisi said their ambition is not to rise to power but to rescue the country from misgovernance, adding resuscitating the economy remains their top priority.

He said that what Kenya needs are fresh minds to achieve its complete renaissance, noting that those in power have been on the scene for far too long.

“When I was three years old, Musalia Mudavadi was the minister for transport. I’m now a second-term MP, and he’s still a minister,” he said on NTV’s Fixing the Nation programme.

He also dismissed some of the projects being touted by Ruto such as the affordable housing programme, saying they do not address the problems facing Kenyans such as youth unemployment and high taxation made worse by runaway borrowing.

“Even if Ruto build a house for every Kenyan, he must still go home,” said Amisi.

This came even as the Linda Ground team, headed by Party Leader Oburu Oginga, extended overtures to them to return home to which they issued tough pre-conditions, including his resignation, fresh national elections and a stop to negotiations with UDA.