ODM leader Raila Odinga has come out in defense of the party’s Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, saying that every party member has the right to express their opinion.
Speaking in Kakamega on Friday, July 25, Raila urged party members to engage in open dialogue rather than suppress differing views.
He clarified that ODM does not muzzle voices within the party even when it involves challenging his own decisions.
"Everybody has a right to speak their mind. That is democracy, and that is what ODM stands for; there will be differences of opinion, and that is okay. If Sifuna has spoken, he has a right to do so, and if you differ with him, then speak out.
"I have not said that you should not speak of certain issues in the party. If you have an issue, speak up, even if you think I have made a mistake, tell me," he said.
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For the better part of the week, Sifuna has faced criticism from a section of ODM members over remarks that the MoU between ODM and UDA is dead.
In an interview on Tuesday, July 22, he said the agreement was founded on two principles; protecting the lives of Kenyan citizens and preserving Kenya’s democratic space up to the 2027 general elections.
However, Sifuna noted that the death of blogger and teacher Albert Ojwang in police custody brutality violated the very foundation of the agreement.
"The reason I declared this MoU dead is because the initial argument for entering into it was twofold. First, it was for the preservation of life; we were losing people unnecessarily. We all agreed that this must stop. We need to stop killing our people.
"The second reason was to sustain our democratic state. President William Ruto is getting his part of the bargain because democracy is being maintained at least until 2027. But our people are not benefiting; they are still being killed. On the day Albert Ojwang dies in a police cell, for me, this agreement is dead. It doesn’t matter what else you do, Albert will not be able to enjoy any of it,” he explained.
Notable ODM members who criticised Sifuna include Uriri MP Mark Nyamita who challenged Sifuna to withdraw from the MoU if he no longer believed in its purpose instead of making dramatic public pronouncements.
"Sifuna portrays himself as someone who does not have a conscience. Because if you didn’t believe in the MoU in the first place, and you are the Secretary General, why sign it? If you don’t believe in the association, simply bolt out. It is simple," he stated.
Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma also weighed in, stating that the MoU remains valid and that Sifuna’s public statements could mislead the public.
“We will forgive and mentor him. Where he digresses a bit, we will bring him back on track. I can only ask him to be careful about his remarks on ODM internal meetings. The agreement remains intact," he said.
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