Cherargei Demands Sifuna’s Ouster from ODM Over Raila’s Succession Row

1. Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has ignited fresh controversy by demanding the immediate removal of Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna from his position as ODM Secretary-General, accusing him of undermining the party’s strategic alignment with President William Ruto’s administration.

The call comes in the wake of dramatic scenes at the burial of ODM leader Raila Amolo Odinga on Sunday, October 19, at his ancestral home in Bondo, Siaya County, where deep divisions within the party were laid bare for all to see.

Public Clash at Raila’s Burial

During the emotionally charged funeral service, Senator Sifuna found himself at odds with key ODM leaders, including party Chairperson and Homabay Governor Gladys Wanga, and Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina, over the late leader’s final instructions to the party.

Also Read: Sifuna Declares ODM Will Field Presidential Candidate in 2027

Governor Wanga and Senator Ole Kina declared their commitment to remain in the broad-based government and support President Ruto’s administration ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting this was Raila’s last directive to the party.

Fisheries Cabinet Secretary Hassan Ali Joho issued a stern warning to party members, making it clear that ODM would not tolerate anyone attempting to divide the party.

“We will not accept anyone in the party who would try to divide us. ODM will be in government or will make the government come 2027,” Joho stated.

Cherargei Launches Attack on Social Media

Taking to social media platforms shortly after the burial, Senator Cherargei launched a scathing attack on Sifuna, questioning his loyalty to the party and its new direction.

The entire ODM leadership except Sifuna have confirmed that Baba Raila Odinga instructed them to stay and work with President Ruto’s administration under the broad-based government

Cherargei went further, describing Sifuna as an existential threat to ODM’s political future.

The biggest threat to the growth of ODM to be in government or forming government in the future is Sifuna and company. By the end of this year, 2025, he must be removed from ODM as the Secretary-General. He is the mole of the united opposition in ODM

Opposition Infiltration Claims

The Nandi Senator alleged that Sifuna poses a strategic danger to ODM’s cohesion and could be exploited by opposition forces to fracture the party from within.

According to Cherargei, Sifuna’s resistance to the party’s alliance with the Kenya Kwanza administration makes him vulnerable to manipulation by rival political formations seeking to weaken ODM.

What This Means for ODM

The public fallout at Raila’s funeral and the subsequent attacks on Sifuna signal a critical juncture for ODM as it navigates life after its founding leader.

The party now faces the challenge of reconciling competing visions: those who favour continued cooperation with President Ruto’s government, and others like Sifuna who appear to advocate for a more oppositional stance ahead of 2027.

With Cherargei’s December deadline looming, all eyes will be on ODM’s National Executive Committee to see whether they bow to external pressure or stand by their embattled Secretary-General.

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