- Nairobi senator Edwin Sifuna addressed a large rally in Bungoma on Saturday, October 17, pledging to mark Raila Odinga's death anniversary every year
- Sifuna criticised ODM leaders who skipped Raila's first death anniversary commemoration in Bondo, questioning their loyalty to the late opposition icon
- The Linda Mwananchi leader called on all opposition figures to unite against President William Ruto, saying he would sit down with any leader committed to a one-term agenda
Nancy Odindo is a current affairs writer at Tuko.co.ke (joined in 2023). She has one year of experience in print and more than five years in digital media.
Nairobi senator Edwin Sifuna used a charged political rally in Bungoma on Saturday, October 17, to pledge annual commemorations for the late ODM founder Raila Odinga, promising to deliver his long-sought presidential dream to Bondo on the second anniversary of his death.
Source: Facebook
Speaking before a large crowd, Sifuna declared he would bring "the crown" to Bondo next year, vowing that the second anniversary would mark a turning point for the opposition movement.
"I have said that, because of everything Raila did for me, I will be in Bondo every year to honor him. And today I have promised him that when we celebrate his second anniversary next year, I will bring the crown to Bondo. When I return to Bondo next year, we will bring Baba the thing he searched for all these years," he promised.
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ODM leaders criticised over Bondo absence
Sifuna, a former ODM secretary-general, directed sharp criticism at senior ODM figures who chose not to attend Raila's first death anniversary commemoration at Bondo, despite the party having been built by Raila over two decades.
He questioned how leaders who once claimed close friendship with Raila could fail to show up within a year of his passing.
"How can you claim you were Raila's friend, and then only one year later you have already moved on and are singing other people's songs?" he said, asking himself what those same leaders would do after five or ten years.
Some ODM members reportedly justified their absence by claiming that people they considered Raila's enemies had been included on the guest list.
Sifuna dismissed this reasoning, citing Raila's own well-documented capacity for forgiveness. He pointed to Raila's reconciliation with the late former president Daniel Arap Moi, who had imprisoned him for nine years, and his subsequent relationship with President William Ruto, noting that Raila's widow, Ida Odinga, and daughter Winnie had both described him as a forgiving man.
Source: Facebook
Sifuna calls for broad opposition unity
Addressing the rally crowd directly, Sifuna extended an open invitation to every opposition leader, regardless of past differences, to join a unified front with one objective: ensuring Ruto serves only a single term in office.
"Within the opposition, there is no leader I will refuse to sit down with. As long as they support the idea of Ruto serving only one term, we can come together and form one strong team," he said.
Sifuna also acknowledged the support the people of Bungoma had shown him throughout his political journey, crediting that backing for the growing respect he said he now commands nationally.
He added that his Linda Mwananchi Movement would continue holding rallies at an intensive pace until the campaign reached its intended scale.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
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