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ODM party leader Raila Odinga has defended Secretary General Edwin Sifuna following his controversial remarks about the collapse of the ongoing political agreement with the government.
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Speaking in Kakamega on Friday, Raila maintained that Sifuna, like any other party member, is entitled to express his views.
“If Sifuna has something to say, he has every right. If you disagree, voice your own opinion as well,” Raila said, urging ODM members and supporters to promote dialogue—even when it involves criticism of his leadership.
Raila reaffirmed that ODM is a democratic party and said he has never attempted to limit members’ freedom of expression.
“I have never dictated how people in ODM should speak. Even if someone says Baba is old and should retire to Bondo, I have no issue with that. It’s the people who will decide,” he added.
READALSO: Junet To Sifuna: Only Raila Can End the ODM-UDA Deal
He clarified that while public opinions are welcome, official party positions are determined through ODM’s internal decision-making processes.
“Sifuna’s views, like any others, will be discussed within our party structures. That’s where we address issues and seek consensus,” Raila noted.
He also reiterated the party’s commitment to open discussion and unity, especially concerning the ongoing political arrangement with the government, which he said would be evaluated collectively.
“We’ll sit down, evaluate what has been achieved so far, and agree on the way forward,” he said.
Sifuna, during a recent television interview, declared that the MoU between ODM and UDA was effectively “dead” due to continued police violence, including the recent death of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang while in custody on June 8.
He said the agreement had two key goals—protecting lives and upholding democracy. While democracy may have been preserved, the continued loss of innocent lives rendered the deal irrelevant, Sifuna argued.
“The moment Albert Ojwang died in a police cell, to me, that agreement ceased to exist,” Sifuna stated.
He also declined an invitation to join a committee reviewing the pact, saying, “I’m not a mortician,” and asserted that removing President Ruto had now become a national imperative.
