NAIROBI, Kenya — Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has intensified political pressure on Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, calling for his removal as Secretary General of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and accusing him of undermining the broad-based government arrangement between ODM and the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
In a strongly worded statement issued on Tuesday, December 23, Cherargei accused Sifuna of what he termed “professional political extortion,” arguing that his continued stay in the ODM leadership had become a liability to the party and its cooperation with President William Ruto’s administration.
“Omwami Sifuna, this line is famous with professional political extortionists. Your tenure as ODM Secretary General is now a liability and threat to the broad-based government going into the future. You must be removed so that you are free to join dis-united opposition. Hii vitisho baridi lazima itaisha tu,” Cherargei said.
The Nandi Senator’s remarks were prompted by a recent statement from Sifuna in which the ODM Secretary General outlined the party’s approach to decision-making ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Sifuna insisted that ODM’s future political direction would be determined through broad public consultation rather than elite consensus.
“As members of ODM, we’ve said that the decision the party will take towards 2027 will not be made by a select group of leaders at the top, but we will go to the ground and ask Kenyans what they want us to do,” Sifuna said.
Cherargei interpreted the remarks as a veiled challenge to the current political cooperation between ODM leader Raila Odinga and President Ruto, which culminated in the formation of a broad-based government following months of political unrest and nationwide protests earlier in the year.
This is not the first time Cherargei has called for Sifuna’s ouster. The Nandi Senator has previously accused the Nairobi Senator of working to weaken ODM from within by maintaining a confrontational stance toward the government, despite the party’s top leadership committing to cooperation with UDA in the interest of national stability.
The tensions between the two lawmakers escalated earlier after Sifuna openly criticised President Ruto’s development philosophy, particularly remarks suggesting leaders should prioritise development in their home regions once they assume power.
President Ruto had made the comments while criticising Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, arguing that despite serving in several governments over decades, Kalonzo had little tangible development to show for his Ukambani backyard.
Sifuna sharply disagreed with that line of thinking, warning against what he described as parochial leadership that elevates regional interests over national priorities.
“Exactly the mentality that will get us to Singapore. Ati, when you get power, you start with yourself. Do I want the road to my village tarmacked? Yes. Is it a national priority to be elevated over, say, Bomas–Kiserian? No. In 2027, get rid of these dealers who think starting with themselves is the measure of leadership,” Sifuna said at the time.
Cherargei has since cited those remarks as evidence that Sifuna is ideologically opposed to the broad-based government, arguing that his rhetoric contradicts the spirit of cooperation between ODM and UDA.
Political analysts note that the clash reflects deeper tensions within ODM over its role in government ahead of 2027, with some leaders favouring structured cooperation with President Ruto while others insist on maintaining the party’s opposition identity.
As the 2027 election cycle begins to take shape, the public exchange between Cherargei and Sifuna highlights the fragile nature of Kenya’s evolving political alliances, where cooperation for stability continues to collide with competing ambitions and ideological differences within and across parties.
