NAIROBI — A public spat has erupted over Kenya’s increasingly blurred political lines, as Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot accused ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna of hypocrisy for criticizing a power-sharing arrangement that, he claims, benefits Sifuna’s own party.
Speaking at a community meeting in Migori, Cheruiyot challenged Sifuna to be “honest” about the reality of the informal alliance between President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga.
“I want Sifuna to be sincere,” the Kericho Senator said. “I have gone through the broad-based agreement. At no point does it say someone’s role is to criticise while remaining silent when their side is enjoying the spoils.”
Cheruiyot was responding to comments made by Sifuna earlier this week, in which the Nairobi Senator dismissed the idea that ODM held any formal stake in the government. Sifuna has consistently argued that all official appointments remain under the Kenya Kwanza banner, led by President Ruto.
“There is no such thing as a power-sharing deal,” Sifuna insisted. “All state appointments are controlled by Ruto’s side. If there really is a shared government, let the President back Raila for 2027.”
The remark, seen by some as sarcastic and others as a political challenge, has sparked renewed tension within ODM and Kenya’s broader opposition movement.
Sifuna, along with Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o, Siaya Governor James Orengo, and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, has recently criticised ODM members who appear too cosy with President Ruto. They argue that such closeness dilutes opposition oversight and undermines the party’s credibility with voters struggling with rising costs and unemployment.
“We can’t praise the government while Kenyans suffer,” Owino said last week during a youth rally in Nairobi. “You’re either with the people or with power.”
Yet behind the scenes, the line between government and opposition has grown murky. Several ODM leaders have been appointed to key state roles or seen projects fast-tracked in their regions. Critics, including Cheruiyot, argue this is evidence of silent cooperation, if not outright partnership.
While no formal coalition exists, observers say the political détente between Ruto and Odinga is clear. It began quietly after the 2022 election and grew more visible when Odinga refrained from leading street protests against the administration last year. In return, sources within both camps say, certain leaders have gained influence in state projects and appointments.
For Cheruiyot, that’s reason enough to call out Sifuna’s remarks as disingenuous. “You can’t eat from the same pot and then claim you’re fasting,” he quipped.
But for ODM hardliners, the stakes go beyond symbolism. They fear the party’s reformist identity is at risk if it’s seen as too aligned with the very system it once fought to change.
As 2027 approaches, the tension may only grow louder. Whether this uneasy co-existence holds or ruptures could shape the future of Kenyan politics.
