ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna has slammed president William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration, asserting that it deserves one-term if it’s unable to govern in tandem with the aspirations of the people.
This, even as he reaffirmed the party’s commitment to contesting the presidency in 2027, emphasising that ODM exists to compete for power with other political parties.
In an exclusive interview with Daily Nation , the ODM spokesperson noted that since its formation, ODM has always fielded a presidential candidate and he sees no reason why the next election should be any different.
While acknowledging the importance of partnerships, Mr Sifuna said the party has previously worked with like-minded allies and will consider forming coalitions when the time comes.
Addressing the concluded African Union Commission (AUC) Chairmanship bid, in which ODM leader Raila Odinga unsuccessfully sought, Mr Sifuna argued that the outcome was less a reflection on Mr Odinga’s credentials and more a referendum on President Ruto’s foreign policy, which he claimed has been marred by repeated missteps that have diminished Kenya’s standing on the international stage.
Mr Sifuna also took issue with former ODM figures now serving in the Kenya Kwanza administration, asserting that Cabinet Secretaries should not hold partisan political views.
“All CSs serve at the pleasure of President Ruto and are executing the UDA’s Bottom-Up Economic Agenda—not ODM or Azimio’s platform,” he said.
He maintained that these individuals had effectively renounced their allegiance to ODM by joining the government and should be seen and judged within that context.
The former ODM officials who made it to the cabinet include; Opiyo Wandayi (Energy), John Mbadi (National Treasury), Hassan Joho (Mining), Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives) and Beatrice Askul (EAC).
Mr Sifuna went on to stress the need for principled leadership in the country, urging leaders to rise above politics devoid of values and the pursuit of wealth without sacrifice.
“Leadership is a high calling,” he said, “and we must remember we are here for only a season.”
Despite the political friction, he affirmed his dedication to serving the people without fear or favour, vowing to remain focused on his mandate.
A. The party is at the tail end of conducting grassroots elections meant to inject fresh impetus and energy to its grassroots leadership. We began with elections at the polling station level in November of 2024 and recently had the same at ward and constituency levels. We will soon conclude with the exercise at county and national level.
What is the current state of the ODM party following the recent MoU with the UDA party and possible realignments ahead of the next election?
The state of the party is strong. The MoU with UDA did not erode any of our values. It restated them. In fact, what many people don’t want to accept is that all the ten agenda of the MoU including cost of living, rule of law, democracy, justice and human rights, are Mwananchi issues that we have always championed.
That we got the leader of UDA to sign up to these issues is a big win for ODM because he has in the past downplayed them whenever the people brought them up. Lastly, the MoU explicitly states that it does not amount to a coalition agreement with UDA nor does it signal any realignments for the next general election.
The Kenya Kwanza administration enters 1,000 days in office next month, what do you make of its performance thus far?
In making an overall assessment of the KK regime, I am inclined to go with what the people I represent say about it daily on the streets; that it has been a huge disappointment. Whereas it promised to lower the tax burden on the people, improve living conditions, enhance national unity and arrest runaway police brutality, it has effortlessly delivered the opposite in each case.
ODM Secretary General, Edwin Sifuna, addresses residents of Funyula at Bukiri Primary School in Busia County on February 28, 2025.
Photo credit: Alex Odhiambo | Nation Media Group
Our people are more despondent, more miserable and live in more squalor, while the government gobbles up billions in travel, luxury and unnecessary appetite for soft life. My view on the Kenya Kwanza performance is therefore based on the people’s feeling, which is one of despair.
First this administration ought to have respected the people enough to listen to them. The entire debacle of the Finance Bill of 2024 would have been avoided if Ruto listened to the people.
Secondly, I wish they told fewer lies. Tell the people the truth and you earn their support.
Thirdly, I wish they respected the law, our constitution and the rights of the Kenyan people from the beginning. That’s what has gotten them into the mess they are in now.
You have been seen as a fierce critic of the broad-based government, yet you are the ODM spokesperson, should this ring a bell to president Ruto and his UDA party?
I do my job as SG out of responsibility to the ODM Party and its membership. I don’t stop to think whether bells will be ringing anywhere else. I maintain that there is no government called broad-based. We have the Kenya Kwanza Government and all those who serve in it work for Ruto.
ODM was founded on democratic principles including freedom of speech and the right to hold opinions contrary to others. As the leadership of the party we are amenable to criticism. As SG I welcome criticism of my style and leadership. We are a mass movement that cannot always sing in the same choir but at the end of the day we always find common ground and move forward together.
From the ODM Perspective nothing has changed. ODM is still a member of the Azimio Coalition and continues to engage with our partners with respect. You saw that even during the NADCO Process we worked very well umnder the leadership of Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka.
I believe that the Azimio Coalition remains Kenyans best bet for a better future and all of us must do whatever it takes to ensure we do not let down our people.
Critics argue that ODM has gone silent, especially after entering into an MoU with UDA, with some of your members joining the government praise team, do you think the party is losing its voice in holding the government to account?
The Party has not lost its voice. We have continued to champion the people’s issues including their rights whenever they were violated. We have called for an end to abductions, compensation of victims of police brutality, respect for the rule of law and protection/strengthening of devolution.
What is ODM’s position on the Finance Bill, 2025 and the current state of the economy under Kenya Kwanza?
Our position has always been that Kenyans are overburdened and cannot take any more taxation. Punda ilichoka kitambo, as Baba says. We are therefore happy that no new taxes have been proposed in the Finance Bill 2025. We must do more and repeal the more oppressive taxes imposed in previous Finance Bills.
Has ODM’s parliamentary wing been effective in defending the party's agenda and the interests of its supporters?
I would say the Parliamentary wing of the Party has done well so far. We in Parliament have stood strongly with the people at crucial times. You will recall that over 95% of our members in the National Assembly voted against the Punitive Finance Bill of 2024 as demanded by the people.
Nairobi County Senator Edwin Sifuna speaks during the County Assemblies Forum meeting at KICC, Nairobi on February 19, 2025.
Photo credit: Lucy Wanjiru | Nation Media Group
In the Senate our members have equally done their best against oppressive laws including on Social Health Insurance and sponsored progressive bills like the Persons With Disability Act by Senator Asige.
What are your thoughts regarding the growing unity by opposition leaders against president Ruto’s government?
I think there is power in unity. The most important thing is to channel that unity for the benefit of the Country and its people. I am happy also that everyone proposing to replace Ruto is being subjected to rigorous interrogation by Kenyans on their past conduct and their plans for the future. That is good for our democracy.
In your view, do you think ODM leadership and party should be part of this team to kick out Ruto from power?
ODM as a party exists to compete for power with other political parties. We have fielded a presidential candidate in all elections since the Party was formed and it is my belief that 2027 will be no different. We have previously worked with like-minded parties in this cause and I’m sure when the time comes, we may find the need to collaborate with others.
The government promised to deliver your party leader the AUC chairmanship position in February but it failed, what do you make of this unsuccessful move?
The AUC Chairmanship is water under the bridge. I have said before that I believe the result to have been more a referendum on Ruto’s foreign policy than on Raila as a candidate. The incessant blunders by the KK Government on the international stage have lowered our standing in the community of nations.
As a relatively young leader, how do you view the role of youth in shaping Kenya’s political future?
I believe there is a crucial place for youth and leadership and that we will tap this resource to create a progressive platform to secure the future of the country. However, I advise youths to engage more on the political platform within existing and credible political institutions like ODM, so that their voices can find a sound pedestal.
We are already in the process of recruiting younger people, empowering our vibrant youth wing and leveraging on changing technology and media to make our party an appealing institution for the youth. Besides this, we are shining focus on youth issues in our parliamentary business, while also remaining true to our desire to position youths in influential places, as evidenced by our party’s nominations.
I have learnt that Kenyan politics requires resilience and a large dose of credibility to stay in the game long enough to celebrate milestones. Besides that, I have been privileged to be a student and mentee of the Rt Hon Raila Odinga, the foremost progressive politician in the whole country, and these priceless lessons from him have included how to overcome political adversity by keeping your head and dignity above the water, while delivering on the mandate bestowed by the people.
To be quite honest, having to read that MoU between ODM and UDA at KICC in March this year was quite tough. I knew that many people would be taken in by the optics rather than the substance of the Agreement. My fears were confirmed almost immediately when our new friends touted it is a “unity” document for 2027.
Before that, the other difficult time was when I had to support a statement by the party in December 2020 supporting President Uhuru’s proposed Fuel Tax. What’s worse, the subsequent vote on the floor was an open farce with the speaker declaring “the ayes have it” when it was clear the nays were louder. Even though these are often difficult times, the truth is that pragmatism sometimes informs the actions we take.
My role as party SG and that of Senator of Nairobi are complimentary, since I am a purveyor of the party’s agenda and manifesto in the house. Since the ideology I have to live by are the same for both roles, it is not difficult to balance. However, I make time to ensure neither role is negated by the other. Overall however, I work with sound professionals in both offices who help with the delivery of the mandate.
You have made it clear that UDA is not a partner that you’d wish to go with to the next election, why the hard stance when you have an MoU with the party?
What you call an MoU is a mere cooperation framework designed for areas of joint interest and people’s issues. Beyond that, going into an election with any political partners requires the sharing of ideologies and points of convergence, which in my view, do not exist between us and UDA.
What’s your comment on the so called ‘ODM experts,” in government? Do they still subscribe to your party’s doctrines?
You would have to ask them directly. As public servants in the executive, I do not believe that they should hold partisan political party views. As I have stated in other forums, all CSs work at the pleasure of Ruto in the Kenya Kwanza government. The so-called ODM experts resigned their party leadership and joined government to serve the Kenya Kwanza government and must be seen and judged as such. They are implementing UDA’s Bottom-Up Economic Agenda not ODM or Azimio Agenda.
They are government CSs serving the Kenya Kwanza administration. This is to be expected especially if they are to keep their jobs. Let Kenyans judge them alongside other CSs as Ruto appointees. When ODM ultimately captures power and unveils its cabinet, let us be judged on our own merit.
The Government does not ask Kenyans for Party Membership cards before they deliver or fail to deliver services. There is no day government has come to Chungwa house to give us “benefits” for distribution to our members. Therefore, it is wrong to classify any benefits from government in terms of party membership.
In my honest view, they ought to have focused on their jobs and completely shunned politics. What has shocked many of us is that some of our own have become louder proponents of Ruto’s re-election than even CS’s from UDA. It has also been baffling to hear them purport to speak for “their regions’ and how those regions will vote in 2027.
I submit that leaders in this country must understand that it is a high calling to lead the people, and we have to move away from the ideology of politics without principle and wealth without sacrifice. We are only here for a season and have to make the best of it.
If, for instance, the Kenya Kwanza government is unable to govern in tandem with the aspirations of the people, it must do it’s one term and make way for a more competent government.
Aside from that, I of course intend to keep on the lane where I work for the people without fear or favour!
See some of our other Ruto@1,000 coverage below:
