Stop 'two-term nonsense', Sifuna hits out at ODM

ODM has warned politicians against underrating the opposition following the death of its party leader Raila Odinga.

Secretary General Edwin Sifuna said on Friday, Raila left a vibrant ODM, a strong party, and its leaders are ready to take on President William Ruto in the 2027 general election and beat him hands down.

He said the party has popular leaders who are ready for a duel come 2027, and anybody dismissing opposition as dead without Raila is being mistaken.

Sifuna, who was speaking in Mombasa during an ODM delegates meeting, lashed out at some party leaders who have been going round singing ‘two term’ at political rallies and warned them to stop “the nonsense.”

Earlier, President Ruto had insinuated that there was no strong opposition in the country following the death of Raila last month.

But Sifuna said ODM had many suitable presidential candidates who can win the general election in 2027, to the surprise of those claiming that the opposition was dead with Raila.

“ODM has deputy party leaders who can win the presidential election in 2027.  If we decide to make Dr Oburu Odinga the presidential candidate, he will win. If we give Abdulswamad Nassir the ticket,  he will, and even I Edwin Sifuna, will win the election very early in the morning,” said Sifuna.

“Those shouting about broad-based government in our political rallies are causing confusion. We do not want to bring confusion on this matter,” he added.

He said the party did not recognise the broad-based government and that ODM had not entered into any coalition with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) for the 2027 general election.

He told ODM leaders supporting the broad-based to desist from the habit because Raila never talked about two terms when he was alive.

At the same time, ODM party leader Dr Oburu Odinga assured party members that he has enough experience to lead the party and dismissed those claiming he had been given the party leadership as a family affair.

“I have enough experience to lead the party and therefore those doubting me should know that I started being a leader in 1974 as a councillor and later got elected as MP seven times,” said Oburu.

He told ODM to eat any money they are given by politicians, but they should not leave the party.

“Members should make the party strong and grow it so that it can form the next government. But if you are given money do not leave it, eat it,” he said.

He said Raila supported the broad-based government because he did not want it to collapse due to the protest from the Gen Zs.

He asked the party to give him support and hoped the National Executive Council (NEC) would give him a nod to be the substantive party leader.

Oburu thanked Nassir for having proposed him to be the acting party leader, and he was ready for the challenge.

He supported the broad-based government, insisting Raila decided to help President William Ruto’s government to stop the army from taking over when the Gen Zs staged chaos in the country.

Nassir, who is a deputy party leader, said that the party members must remain united in respect to Raila’s legacy after he held the party strong for 20 years.

“We will make sure the party remains vibrant, focused, and united ahead of the 2027 elections so that we get more seats and also form the government,” he said.

Nassir supposed Sifuna’s remarks that ODM did not sign a coalition arrangement with the Kenya Kwanza government.

Changamwe MP warned party members against being bought by any political party and asked them to leave ODM so that it remained strong enough to form the next government.

“We should not be bought by any politician or leave ODM for another party. We should ensure that ODM forms the next government in 2027,” he said.

Senate Minority Leader Steward Madzayo also called on ODM members to remain united as they approach 2027 as a distinct party after Raila's demise.

“As Coast people, we will remain in ODM because the party articulates the interests of the region. We are already enjoying being at the party because we are at the helm of the party,” he said.

 “I wish to warn leaders talking about a broad-based government candidate during the coming by-election because a broad-based government is not a party.

Sifuna emphasised that Raila had made it clear that ODM must remain distinct from any political party and insisted that the grassroots party members must be consulted over any decision the party wanted to make. 

Sifuna said ODM will make a statement about the chaotic presidential election in Tanzania and warned that what was going on there could easily spill over to Kenya, saying Kenyans must be careful.

“We will make a statement over what is happening in Tanzania, and as Kenyans, will must be careful because we do not want to support what is going on there,” he said.

Kisumu women representative Ms Ruth Odinga also supported  Sifuna about the party’s presidential candidate in the next general election.

“We are going to the by-elections as ODM and broad-based government because the party is popular enough to remain distinct from other parties,” said Ms Odinga.

She said grassroots leaders will decide the party’s presidential candidate in 2027, insisting that as a party, they had not made a decision yet.

Other leaders present were Changamwe MP Omar Mwinyi, Issa Juma, Badi Twalib, Zamzam Mohamed, and Rashid Bedzimba.