Those present include:
Governor James Orengo (Siaya)
MP Babu Owino (Embakasi East)
Ruth Odinga
MP Millie Odhiambo (Suba North).
Sifuna himself shared a photo of the meeting on X, captioning it: "Sit. Talk. Tumeanza." (meaning, we have started sitting and talking).
This comes amid major tensions within ODM following the death of Raila Odinga, particularly over the party's direction whether to continue cooperating with Ruto's government or return to strong opposition and attempts to oust Sifuna.
The dialogue also touched on recent controversies, such as Sifuna's apology to former President Uhuru Kenyatta during the burial of veteran politician Cyrus Jirongo.
Sifuna criticized certain ODM leaders including National Assembly Minority Leader John Mbadi, Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, and Suna East MP Junet Mohamed for insulting Kenyatta, whom he described as a steadfast ally to Raila.
He accused them of holding secret meetings to facilitate an ODM-UDA merger, a claim that has fueled party infighting.
James Orengo, a long-time Raila confidant and legal strategist, urged the group to prioritize principled leadership over personal ambitions.
Millie Odhiambo, known for her outspoken advocacy on women's rights, stressed the need for inclusivity and warned against allowing external forces to exploit ODM's vulnerabilities.
The leaders collectively reaffirmed their commitment to Raila's vision, dismissing rumors of defections or leadership overhauls.
This meeting appears to be a move to strengthen the faction opposing the "broad-based government" and to uphold Raila's values, led by Sifuna, Babu Owino, Orengo, and Millie Odhiambo.
It is a sign that internal talks have begun to resolve the conflicts and possibly prepare a strategy for 2027.
0 Comments