Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has defended his decision to skip President William Ruto’s recent tour of Nairobi, dismissing claims that he was avoiding the head of state. Speaking at the burial of retired Kenya Air Force pilot James Gitahi on Saturday, March 15, Sifuna said there was no obligation for him to attend the president’s development visits.
He made it clear that the agreement reached between Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga did not require him to be present at Ruto’s meetings.
According to Sifuna, his role as Nairobi Senator remains independent of political rallies organized by the president.Sifuna expressed his surprise at media reports claiming he had deliberately avoided the president during his Nairobi tour.
He stated that there was no provision in the deal between Ruto and Raila that forced him, as the Secretary-General of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), to attend such events.
He pointed out that Raila Odinga had attended a burial in Kiambu County on the same day, yet the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary-General was not questioned for missing it.
Sifuna made it clear that his work is in the Senate, not at political rallies, and that he will continue serving Nairobi residents regardless of whether he attends Ruto’s meetings.
The senator also dismissed the idea that his presence at the president’s events would determine his political future. He insisted that his reelection in 2027 would be based on his performance as Nairobi’s Senator, not on how many times he stood beside Ruto.
Sifuna also stressed that his priority is holding the government accountable to ensure that all the promises in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Ruto and Raila are fulfilled.
He noted that if any violations occur, such as police abductions, it would mean that Ruto had gone against the agreement.
Sifuna emphasized that he would continue playing his oversight role rather than engaging in political theatrics.
His remarks come amid reports that he, along with Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi, were organizing a political rebellion in response to Ruto’s deal with Raila.
The reports suggested that their absence from the president’s Nairobi tour was a deliberate move linked to dissatisfaction with Raila’s support for Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja’s reelection.
Additionally, Ruto’s visit also saw the absence of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s allies, including Embakasi North MP James Gakuya and Embakasi Central MP Benjamin Gathiru.
These absences have fueled speculation about internal political divisions within both the ODM and UDA camps, indicating a growing rift as the country moves closer to the next election cycle.
