Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has firmly rejected allegations that former President Uhuru Kenyatta is the silent force behind his recent political maneuvers. Speaking during a candid interview on NTV Kenya on Tuesday morning, the ODM secretary general dismissed claims of a secret alliance, labeling the online rumors as entirely baseless.
Sifuna clarified that he has held zero political discussions with the former Head of State. He pointed out that many people wrongly assume his high-ranking role in ODM automatically puts him in the inner circle of the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Coalition leadership.
“No, I have not had a conversation with him (Uhuru Kenyatta). People expected that because Sifuna is the SG of ODM, he is automatically a member of the council of Azimio. So I do not have information on what is happening in Azimio. You can only ask me questions about what is happening in ODM and Linda Mwananchi,” Sifuna said.
The Senator noted that his current energy belongs exclusively to ODM and the Linda Mwananchi movement, a grassroots-driven initiative.
Funding the Movement: “Mwananchi Power”
Addressing whispers that Uhuru Kenyatta’s political network bankrolls the Linda Mwananchi tours, Sifuna maintained that the movement thrives on public goodwill rather than deep-pocketed sponsors.
“We will give you a breakdown of our expenses in our past campaigns, and before that, we can tell you that we have been largely relying on goodwill and support from the common mwananchi, which we are very happy about,” he explained.
A Data-Driven Strategy to Topple the Ruto Administration
Sifuna’s vision for the opposition is far-reaching. He believes the Linda Mwananchi caucus must evolve into a structured force capable of unseating President William Ruto. However, he insists that choosing a flagbearer must be a calculated, data-driven move rather than a personality contest.
“The issue of settling on the leader and who will lead us against Ruto must be a structured process. We will look at how many votes we can command from our followers. We have a duty of a lifetime to rescue our country, and this should therefore not be about Sifuna,” he noted.
Strength in Numbers
The Senator argued against the traditional “lone kingpin” model of Kenyan politics. He suggested that the opposition should nurture multiple leaders to ensure the movement survives even if individual candidates face hurdles.
“I want us to grow this movement to a point that there are like 10 viable candidates for the presidency so that if they somehow go for one, nine others can be able to vie for the presidency,” Sifuna said.
To truly signal a national rejection of the current government, Sifuna believes the opposition needs a landslide victory.
“We must beat William Ruto by at least 5 million votes to make it clear that we are tired of his administration. We must be one force against William Ruto,” he declared.
Despite calls for broader unity, Sifuna downplayed the urgency of joining forces with other United Opposition formations, advocating for a strategic, measured approach over a rushed alliance.