Photo: Ruth Odinga/Facebook
Kisumu County Women Representative Ruth Odinga has come out strongly in defence of Nairobi Senator and ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna, following attacks on him after his Tuesday night interview on Citizen TV.
During the interview, Sifuna raised concerns over national issues and internal ODM party matters, including the handling of campaign finances and the ongoing implementation of the March 2025 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between President William Ruto and the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
In her statement, Ruth Odinga highlighted the growing political rift within ODM, noting that Sifuna and other party members often labeled as “rebels” have questioned the management of resources in the party.
“He questions the very things we have been questioning despite the online attacks by hired bloggers,” she said.
Sifuna, according to Ruth Odinga, admitted on national television that ODM has not contributed any money to its campaigns, which have involved millions of shillings spent on helicopters, large tents, and party-branded apparel for the so-called ‘Linda Ground’ public meetings.
He further alleged that the funds might be coming from governors, MPs’ Constituency Development Funds, or undisclosed philanthropists, raising concerns over transparency and control.
Ruth Odinga noted that the same money used for high-profile public campaigns is not deposited into ODM’s bank accounts, arguing that this demonstrates an attempt to control who attends and speaks at party events.
She cited the incident involving Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo, who was booed at a Kisumu event for stepping outside the prescribed script.
She defended Sifuna’s public declaration that the MoU with President Ruto is “dead,” stressing that such a statement is not treasonous, given the apparent lack of political goodwill in implementing the agreement with less than 30 days remaining before its expiry.
“If President Ruto does not honour an agreement he signed with Raila Odinga, how sure are you that he will honour the pre-election pact you are all talking about?” she said.
Ruth Odinga further questioned why Sifuna should face backlash for demanding accountability and transparency in ODM’s campaigns, emphasizing that even Raila Odinga, during the ‘nusu mkate’ government, would stand his ground in similar circumstances.
She warned that the responsibility for honoring the MoU ultimately lies with President Ruto, urging party members to focus on the agreement’s implementation rather than silencing internal critics.
“The last thing we should do, if we mean well for the Party, is to muffle the voices of people like Sifuna,” she concluded.