Siaya Senator and ODM Party leader Oburu Oginga has described Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna as a political first-termer, pointing to his relatively limited experience in elective politics despite his growing prominence within the opposition.
Speaking during an interview on Tuesday, August 11, Oburu described Sifuna as an intelligent politician but said he remained a first-termer in elective politics, serving as the Nairobi senator.
“Sifuna is a young man who is intelligent, but in terms of politics, he is a first-termer,” Oburu stated.
Oburu attributed Sifuna's rise within ODM to former party leader, the late Raila Odinga, saying the former Prime Minister played a key role in his appointment as ODM Secretary-General and thereafter his election as Nairobi senator.
“It is Raila who brought him and made him SG and helped him to be the senator of Nairobi,” he said.
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The Siaya senator said Sifuna needed to gain more experience in navigating the challenges and setbacks associated with Kenya's competitive political environment.
“So, he still has a lot to learn in the rough political terrain; he still has to learn how to slide, and how to slip and how to stand up,” Oburu explained.
Oburu's remarks come weeks after Sifuna confirmed that the Linda Mwananchi movement would field candidates for President and Deputy President in the 2027 General Election.
Speaking during a joint forum with media outlets from the Western Region on July 24, Sifuna said the movement would have candidates on the ballot but declined to confirm whether he would be its presidential candidate.
“What is important is that we in Linda Mwananchi will field candidates for President and Deputy President in August 2027,” Sifuna mentioned.
Sifuna said there were several qualified candidates within the movement who could take up the two positions, leaving open the question of who would ultimately seek the presidency under the platform.
The Nairobi senator has also advocated for the opposition to unite ahead of the 2027 General Election, arguing that a united opposition would have a better chance of defeating President William Ruto.
