BUNGOMA, Kenya- Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna used the Linda Mwananchi rally in Bungoma to deliver his most personal account yet of the days following the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, saying the veteran opposition leader’s passing fundamentally altered Kenya’s political landscape and his own place within the opposition.
Addressing thousands of supporters during his homecoming rally, Sifuna recounted the emotional moments after Raila’s death, saying he had expected Raila’s elder brother, Oburu Odinga, to announce the news to the nation before learning that the responsibility would instead fall to President William Ruto under State protocol.
“I thought Oburu would announce to the nation that Baba had left us. When I got there, I was told State protocol required Kasongo to announce Baba’s death. It broke my heart because for years he had fought Raila politically,” Sifuna told the crowd.
The Nairobi senator also spoke about travelling to India to accompany Raila’s body back to Kenya, saying the journey was one of the most painful moments of his political life.
“I was still grieving when I was told to bring my passport because I would accompany Raila home. I found myself on a plane with people I had known as Raila’s political rivals. I looked around and could not see many of Raila’s longtime friends. If I have ever cried in my life, it was on that flight,” he said.
Sifuna linked Raila’s death to the political upheaval that followed within ODM, arguing that he lost key party positions after the former Prime Minister’s passing.
“When Baba left me as Secretary-General, I was also the Senate Deputy Minority Whip. After Baba passed on, everything changed,” he said, adding that he believed the opposition was rebuilding ahead of the 2027 General Election.
He also revisited his long-standing opposition to cooperation between ODM and the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA), saying his disagreements within the party began when he insisted that ODM’s policies could not be aligned with those of the governing party.
“My problems in ODM started when I said ODM’s policies cannot be the same as UDA’s. I cannot work with someone who says young people should be shot in the legs,” Sifuna said.
The Bungoma rally also featured Siaya Governor James Orengo, who urged supporters to remain vigilant ahead of the 2027 General Election, saying the opposition would seek to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process.
Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, meanwhile, urged residents not to be swayed by cash handouts from politicians, telling supporters they should accept any money offered but make their voting decisions independently.
The rally marked the culmination of Sifuna’s Western Kenya tour under the Linda Mwananchi movement, which has staged political meetings in several counties as opposition leaders intensify mobilisation following Raila Odinga’s death and ahead of the next General Election.