Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has found himself in the middle of a political storm after making remarks on Citizen TV that angered Mumias East MP Peter Salasya. The clash started on Thursday morning when Sifuna appeared on the show and made comments that many saw as belittling the youthful MP.
During the interview, Sifuna questioned Salasya’s knowledge about the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed a few months ago between Raila Odinga’s ODM party and President Ruto’s UDA. He said he was not surprised that Salasya didn’t understand the details of the MOU, implying that the MP had not read it at all.
Instead, Sifuna expected Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda to know better because of his legal background.Sifuna said, “I can forgive Salasya for refusing to read this document and assuming it’s just Sifuna that signed it, but I cannot forgive Professor Ojienda because Ojienda is a lawyer. I have brought this document here because there are a lot of nonsense being said about it.”
His tone and choice of words did not sit well with Salasya, who immediately hit back through his social media platforms. He accused Sifuna of disrespect and reminded him that leadership is not given but earned.
Salasya did not hold back. He pointed out that unlike Sifuna, who owes his political position to Raila Odinga, he is a self-made politician who campaigned and won without being handed a seat.
He said that Sifuna survives in politics only because of his close ties with Raila, and without that support, he would be irrelevant. Salasya also reminded Sifuna that he is not just an MP but a presidential candidate and should be treated with respect.
In his response, Salasya said, “Wewe Sifuna Edwin W. Sifuna, you have a degree in law, I have a degree in banking and finance. You are a senator, I am a member of parliament. You come from western, I come from western. The only difference between me and you is I’m a self-made leader, while you were given by Raila Odinga and you can’t survive in politics without Raila, so respect me as your presidential candidate. Kizungu mingi isikupatie ujeuri peleka kortini sio kwa siasa. And by the way, my PA Elvis Anguche is a lawyer just like you.”
The exchange between the two leaders has caused mixed reactions across the political space, especially among supporters from the Western region.
Some feel that Sifuna was out of line and too dismissive of Salasya, while others believe Salasya overreacted and should have responded more calmly.
What is clear, however, is that tensions are rising within ODM and among Western leaders, especially when it comes to the secretive MOU that is still raising more questions than answers. Whether this spat will cool down or lead to deeper divisions remains to be seen.
