Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka has publicly aligned himself with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna’s faction within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), stating that he agrees with the issues the group is raising and the strategy it is pursuing within the party.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV on Wednesday night, Onyonka clarified his position amid growing debate within ODM over competing political camps, including one linked to Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga and another associated with Sifuna’s “Linda Mwananchi” push.
The Kisii senator said his political stance is firmly within the camp led by Sifuna, explaining that his presence in the alternative government team and alongside the Nairobi senator reflects a shared agenda rather than internal division.
“I am in ODM-Sifuna because I completely agree with what he is talking about. The reason you see me with Sifuna and also in the alternative government team is because we are all working together, contrary to what many Kenyans think,” Onyonka said during the interview.
His remarks come at a time when internal debates within ODM have intensified over the direction the party should take as the country moves closer to the 2027 general election.
Onyonka also acknowledged the political advantage currently held by President William Ruto, saying the opposition must adjust its strategies to effectively compete with a government that now controls key state institutions.
“The normal ways and style of doing business have evolved. We understand that President William Ruto is formidable; he now has the state machinery, intelligence, and information,” he said.
According to the senator, the opposition must adopt more calculated and strategic approaches in its political operations to remain competitive.
“We are operating from a box that requires us to be better, smarter, and even more strategic,” he added.
Onyonka defended Sifuna’s approach, arguing that the issues being raised by the Nairobi senator are consistent with constitutional principles and the role of opposition leaders in holding the government accountable.
“What Sifuna is doing is agreeable to me as a senator elected from the ODM side because the issues he is raising are enshrined in our Constitution,” Onyonka stated.
The comments are likely to fuel further discussion within ODM over the party’s internal dynamics and the strategies it intends to adopt as Kenya’s political landscape continues to shift.