Sifuna Was a Key Player in Championing for Broad-Based Government – Gladys Wanga

Sifuna Was a Key Player in Championing for Broad-Based Government – Gladys Wanga

Kisumu, Kenya – Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) chairperson and Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has accused embattled Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna of double-speak, claiming he played a central role in the formation of the broad-based government despite now opposing it.

Speaking in Kisumu on Wednesday, February 25, during a grassroots delegates’ meeting, Wanga detailed the origins of the broad-based government arrangement, asserting that Sifuna was instrumental in drafting the framework that later shaped the political partnership between ODM and President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

“It is Sifuna, who was then serving as ODM secretary-general, that typed the 10-point agenda following instructions from Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o,” Wanga revealed.

Origins of the Broad-Based Government

The 10-point agenda was developed at a time of heightened political instability in Kenya, following the Gen Z demonstrations in June 2024. According to Wanga, ODM leader Raila Odinga sought to stabilize the country by offering experts to the government, paving the way for the broad-based arrangement.

“We can all remember the Gen Z demonstrations in June 2024. Raila wanted stability in the country, and he donated experts to the government, which was the beginning of the broad-based government,” she said.

On March 7, 2025, Raila Odinga and President Ruto signed the memorandum of understanding at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), formally recognizing the arrangement.

“It is Sifuna who read the agreement on behalf of ODM. But what many do not know is that it was Sifuna who wrote the 10-point agenda,” Wanga added.

She criticized Sifuna for later contradicting himself, noting that he appeared on national television after the signing and declared that President Ruto would not be re-elected in 2027.

Party Leadership Dispute

Wanga also addressed Sifuna’s recent questioning of Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga’s legitimacy as ODM party leader. She explained that after Raila Odinga’s death, she convened a national executive committee meeting attended by MPs Babu Owino and Caleb Amisi, among others, to chart the party’s future.

The meeting resolved that ODM should have a leader, and Oburu Odinga was proposed and seconded to serve in an acting capacity before being officially installed during the party’s 20th anniversary in November 2025.

“Sifuna is the one who swore in Oburu as our party leader. But he still argues that Oburu is in office illegally. Why did he swear him in if indeed he was illegally installed?” Wanga posed.

Defiance and Removal

Wanga further accused Sifuna of defying party resolutions, citing an instance when ODM resolved to begin pre-election negotiations with other parties. She claimed Sifuna skipped the meeting, citing flight delays, despite being seen boarding a plane to Mombasa.

These repeated acts of defiance, she said, ultimately led to his removal as ODM secretary-general, though he remains a party member.

Conclusion

Wanga’s remarks highlight growing tensions within ODM as the party navigates leadership transitions and internal disagreements following Raila Odinga’s death. Her accusations against Sifuna underscore divisions over the broad-based government arrangement and the legitimacy of current party leadership, setting the stage for further political contestation ahead of the 2027 elections.

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Sifuna Was a Key Player in Championing for Broad-Based Government – Gladys Wanga