Junet Blasts Sifuna in Public Clash

A simmering rift between Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna and Suna East Member of Parliament Junet Mohamed threatens to overshadow the party’s 20th anniversary celebrations set to run for three days.
The two leaders are expected to share a platform between Friday, October 10, and Sunday, October 12, in Mombasa; however, they have publicly signalled that they are not on good terms.
Speaking at an event in Mombasa on  Saturday, September 14, where the two were in attendance, Junet claimed that Sifuna’s opposition to the broad-based government stems from the “wrong company” he has associated himself with, such as Githunguri Member of Parliament Gathoni Wamuchomba.
Junet argued that the Secretary-General’s associations have hindered him from fully realising thesignificant social and political gains of the broad-based government.
“I have heard the party’s SG claiming that he does not understand President William Ruto and broad-based, but we want to tell him that he is saying this because he is walking with the wrong people, such as Wamuchomba. If you walk with people like these, how do you expect to understand the broad-based government?” Junet stated.
“If he says that he does not understand broad-based government, that’s his own opinion because he is the SG of the party, but we want to tell him that ODM is part of the broad-based government. We went and signed an MOU with the president, and as long as the MOU is active, we will remain by his side,” he added.
The lawmaker went on to say that as long as the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which was signed by the two parties, is in effect, the Party will continue to support President William Ruto and his political and development agenda even in the absence of Sifuna’s approval.
“As ODM, we met the president at KICC and we signed an MOU, where we said that we will work together, and as long as the MOU stands, we are still in the broad-based because we know where we are from where we are and where we are going,” Junet said.
According to Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Shariff, the anniversary will serve as a reminder of the significant strides the party has made over the past two decades in defending the constitution and democracy.
The governor says a youth concert, a women’s convention, a football tournament, and a youth summitwill all be part of the anniversary celebration.
In order to guarantee nationwide grassroots participation, the party will also host build-up events in the counties of Migori and Wajir.
“This milestone is not only a commemoration of ODM’s journey but also a reflection on the struggles, victories, and lessons that continue to shape our vision for a just, united, and prosperous Kenya,” he stated.