The Battle for Raila’s Bedroom: Inside ODM’s Plan to Lock Sifuna Out of Nyanza Stronghold

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has hatched a plan to lock Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna out of Raila Odinga’s political bedroom – Luo Nyanza – and stop him from taking the Linda Mwananchi wave into the region.

According to the Weekend Star, the plan aims to ringfence Odinga’s ‘bedroom’ after the Raila memorial activities exposed deep cracks in ODM’s broad-based agreement with President William Ruto.

Sifuna has already been removed as ODM Secretary General and replaced by Catherine Omanyo. The Political Parties Registrar has upheld the removal. He was also stripped of his Senate Deputy Minority Whip position and removed from the powerful Energy Committee which is chaired by Oburu Oginga. He now only sits in two minor committees.

A senior ODM legislator told the Star: _”Yes, he is leaving. That I can assure you. The pressure is too much on us. UDA wants him to go because he is not serving the interests of the broad-based government. But we in ODM also feel we have given him enough time. He has stagnated us. We now need to move with or without him.”_

Migori Senator Eddy Oketch filed a petition to ODM Chair Gladys Wanga seeking Sifuna’s total expulsion from the party. The petition accuses Sifuna of opposing ODM’s cooperation with Ruto, engaging with rival parties (DCP of Rigathi Gachagua) while still being party spokesperson.

Party leader Oburu Odinga had to intervene to defuse the row and withdrew the petition temporarily after Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo warned: _”Barely three months after the passing of our party leader Baba Raila Amollo Odinga, we are airing our disagreements in public and weakening the house he built.”_

3. Block him from Nyanza with Mwezi wa Baba tours:

This is the core of the plan. ODM is using the Mwezi wa Baba – October memorial for Raila – to tour all former strongholds without Sifuna.

The tour has already gone to Kakamega, Bondo, Garissa, Coast, Kajiado and Turkana. The final rally is at Jacaranda on Oct 31. Sifuna and his team – Godfrey Osotsi, James Orengo, Babu Owino and Caleb Amisi – are NOT invited.

At PAG Kawangware, Sifuna’s team fired back. Orengo warned: _”If anyone tries to remove Sifuna from ODM, that will be the end of the party.”_ Osotsi said Sifuna is only following instructions Raila left him.

Sifuna has turned from a loyal foot soldier into a political force. After being sidelined, he formed Linda Mwananchi and is now in Kenya Moja with Gachagua, Babu, Gathoni Wamuchomba and Ndindi Nyoro. An Infotrak poll now places Kenya Moja at 17% nationally – behind broad-based (32%) and united opposition (22%).

Analysts say ODM made a miscalculation. As Prof Gitile Naituli told the Star: _”I knew the moment ODM will kick him out he was going to be bigger. Sifuna has been consistent even during Raila days and you know Kenya lacks such consistent leaders.”_

Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo admitted ODM is jittery: _”I was told Sifuna is a passing cloud. The cloud has been here forever now. He’s not passing. He’s causing a bit of jitters on our side.”_

The question now is: Can Oburu and Wanga really lock Sifuna out of Nyanza, or will the ground welcome him as the new voice of defiance?

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