Taking to X on Tuesday evening, January 13, Khalwale weighed into the ODM standoff, advising Sifuna and other rebel leaders to come to terms with what he described as the political reality facing the party.
Khalwale, who was himself recently ousted as Senate Majority Whip by UDA, argued that ODM as it was known effectively came to an end following the death of its long-time leader Raila Odinga last year.
In his post, Khalwale drew parallels with other major political parties he claimed had collapsed after the exit or death of their founding figures. He cited KANU, PNU, and FORD Kenya which he claimed died after the demise of their founder leaders.
The outspoken senator also mentioned Jubilee which he argued also died after former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s retirement.
According to the Kakamega senator, ODM also met a similar fate with Raila’s passing last October. He urged Sifuna and his allies to make up their minds in light of these developments.
Sifuna, alongside Siaya Governor James Orengo and Vihiga Senator and ODM deputy party leader Godfrey Osotsi, has been under sustained pressure from the pro–broad-based faction within ODM.
The group, which also includes Suba South MP Caroli Omondi, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Saboti MP Caleb Amisi, among others, has openly opposed ODM backing President William Ruto’s re-election bid in 2027 and has been vocal against the broad-based government arrangement even when Raila was still alive.
The pressure intensified after the ODM Central Management Committee, led by party leader Oburu Oginga, met in Kilifi on Monday and resolved to begin formal negotiations with UDA to support Ruto’s re-election. Notably, Osotsi and Sifuna were members of the committee who skipped the meeting.
Following the Kilifi meeting, pro-Ruto ODM MPs led by Makadara MP and Nairobi ODM chairman George Aladwa declared the party ready to form a coalition with UDA, telling members opposed to the move to consider exiting.
0 Comments