Nairobi senator Edwin Sifuna joined former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua and other dignitaries attending the funeral service of Alice Wangari Gakuya, the mother of Embakasi North MP James Gakuya.
The service was organised on Saturday, January 3, at the Makomboki Primary School grounds in Kigumo, Murang'a County.
Sifuna, who is also the ODM party secretary general, was received by his colleagues in the Senate, senators John Methu of Nyandarua and Murang'a's Joe Nyutu.
This would be the first instance in which Sifuna shares a podium with the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) politicians.
During the service, the senator was captured at a point sharing a moment with Gachagua, who is also the leader of DCP.
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Other leaders in attendance included Murang'a governor Irungu Kangata and former Trade and Industry CS Moses Kuria.
Sifuna's encounter with Gachagua came weeks after the latter courted him into the United Opposition in the face of the factionalism inside ODM.
The senator, alongside Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and others, belongs to the faction that opposes any potential arrangement between the Orange party and President William Ruto.
In his public pronouncements, Sifuna has been categorical that ODM won't entertain any partnership that would endorse Ruto's re-election bid in 2027.
Speaking in a presser last month, Gachagua invited Sifuna and Babu to join DCP and use it as their political campaigns in 2027.
The former deputy president noted that the duo would be deprived of support in ODM, whose top leadership has seemed to gravitate toward President Ruto.
Gachagua alleged that Ruto, having supposedly "bought" ODM, was now working to edge out influential figures in the party who do not align with his vision.
"William Ruto has said, once he buys ODM, he doesn't want Sifuna there," Gachagua remarked.
He went on to address Edwin Sifuna directly:
"Edwin Sifuna, I want to tell you, my brother, you are a good leader. If you are chased from ODM, you are welcome in DCP. Sifuna is a good senator in Nairobi, and I have no problem with DCP supporting Sifuna to be the Senator of Nairobi.”
Gachagua counselled Babu and Sifuna to consider joining DCP, or even the Wiper Party, to sustain their style of politics that seems not to align with ODM at this moment.
