Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna is arguably the most popular lawmaker in the country owing to his vocal nature in parliament and during shows on local television stations.
Sifuna, never shies away from calling out those in authority, a trait that has earned him love and criticism in equal measure.
Barely two years into the job, one may think that Sifuna has been a legislator before due to his vocal and no-nonsense approach, but, that is not the case as this is his first elective post.
Sifuna's Political Journey
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Prior to winning the Nairobi senatorial race in the 2022 general election, Sifuna had expressed interest in the Kanduyi parliamentary seat but lost during the ODM party primaries.
He was later nominated to contest the Nairobi senatorial seat on an ODM party ticket but lost to Johnson Sakaja.
Following the loss, Sifuna in 2016 came out and declared himself the Secretary General (SG) of the ODM party, after the former SG Ababu Namwamba defected from the party.
The move caused tension in ODM, but the party eventually decided to officially hand Sifuna the position in late 2018. As the official SG, he embarked on a journey of popularising the party by traversing the country and attending interviews.
File image of Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna. [Photo: Courtesy]
Sifuna the Face of ODM
Ahead of the 2022 general election, Sifuna was the face of the ODM Party and became popular across the country.
In the 2022 general election, he vied for the Nairobi senatorial seat on an ODM ticket and emerged victorious after trouncing among others his closest challenger Bishop Margaret Wanjiru of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.
Following the victory, he was named the deputy Minority Whip in the Senate, a position that saw him become the face of the opposition in the Senate, where he's a key critic of the government.
As an experienced debater, Sifuna has given some of his fellow panelists a difficult time by asking tough questions or pressing them to explain some of Kenya Kwanza's government policies.
His fluency, deep understanding of the law, and criticism of the government have endeared him to many. On social media, users always make fun of any guest lined up on TV interviews alongside Sifuna.
