Ruth Odinga defends Sifuna, questions ODM funding and Ruto–Raila MoU

Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga on Thursday came out in defence of Nairobi Senator and ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna amid mounting criticism over his remarks questioning the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between President William Ruto and the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

In a strongly worded statement, Ruth Odinga said the backlash against Sifuna—particularly following his recent interview on Citizen TV—reflects intolerance to internal dissent within the party, warning that silencing critical voices could harm ODM.

Sifuna, who has been labelled a “rebel” by sections of the party, raised concerns over the source of funding for ODM-linked political activities, including the use of helicopters, large tents and branded merchandise during the ‘Linda Ground’ conventions.

He disclosed that ODM has not spent any money on the campaigns, which he said run into millions of shillings.

Odinga questioned why Sifuna was being attacked for seeking accountability, asking whether governors, MPs or unidentified benefactors were financing the activities, and what interests such financiers might be pursuing.

She further linked the controversy to what she described as the government’s failure to fully implement the March 2025 MoU, which she said is facing an imminent expiry with less than 30 days remaining.

“The last thing we should do, if we mean well for the party, is to muffle voices like Sifuna’s,” she said, drawing parallels with Raila Odinga’s own history of dissent, including during the ‘nusu mkate’ government.

Ruth Odinga also cited Sifuna’s claim that ODM is owed Sh12 billion in public funding by the government, as required under the Constitution based on the party’s parliamentary strength.

She argued that withholding the funds enables external control over party activities, including who participates in public forums and what messages are delivered.

She pointed to recent incidents where party leaders, including Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo, were publicly booed after deviating from what she termed “pre-approved scripts” at party events.

Questioning claims that Sifuna’s declaration that the MoU is “dead” amounted to disloyalty, Odinga asked whether President Ruto could be trusted to honour future political agreements if the current MoU remains unfulfilled.

“It is not really upon the committee implementing the 10-point agenda; the buck stops with the bearer of the signature in the MoU,” she said, adding that the coming weeks—up to March 7—will be critical in determining the agreement’s fate.

The MoU between President Ruto and Raila Odinga was signed in March 2025 following nationwide Gen-Z-led protests, with the aim of easing political tensions and implementing a 10-point reform agenda.