A war of words has erupted between President William Ruto’s legal adviser, Prof. Makau Mutua, and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, after the law professor publicly called on the senator to resign as secretary general of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
In a post shared on X, formerly Twitter, Prof. Mutua suggested Sifuna’s personal stance was at odds with his party’s official line. He argued that the only honourable step would be for Sifuna to quit.
“My good learned friend and Senator Edwin Sifuna appears to be in an untenable position as SG of the ODM Party,” Prof. Mutua wrote. “If he’s a man of principle, the honourable thing is to resign — which almost never happens in Kenya, unless one is sacked.”
The remark carried a sting, as Mutua added that resignation was a rare act in the political culture of President Ruto’s administration.
Sifuna, a sharp-tongued politician, wasted no time firing back. In a pointed response, he dismissed Mutua’s concern as misplaced.
“Omwami, you have the unenviable task of determining the value of the lives of young people killed and compensating their families,” Sifuna wrote. “One would imagine that crown to be so heavy as not to allow the wearer time for anything else — let alone worrying about the SG of ODM, who isn’t even your friend.”
The exchange reignites questions over Sifuna’s position in ODM, especially after he recently declared that he would not support any move by the party to endorse President Ruto for re-election in 2027.
“I will not read such a statement,” he said earlier this year. “This is a democratic party, and any member is free to speak their mind. Yet some insist that because I am secretary general, I cannot hold views independent of the party. That is not true.”
Raila Odinga, ODM’s leader, has previously defended members’ right to free expression, saying the party remains open to internal debate.
The clash between Mutua and Sifuna reflects the wider tensions inside ODM and across Kenya’s political landscape, where questions of loyalty, principle and power continue to test the bonds of party unity.
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