The mention of Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna was enough to send a wave of cheers through a memorial service in Kitale on Sunday. Former President Uhuru Kenyatta quickly turned the moment into a joke.
Speaking at the 23rd memorial service for former Vice-President Michael Kijana Wamalwa, Uhuru was naming political leaders while making the point that Kenyans, not politicians, would decide who leads the country after the 2027 election.
But when he mentioned Sifuna, the crowd erupted in cheers and ululations.
Uhuru smiled and responded in Swahili.
“Jameni chungeni, sitaki kuitwa sponsor.”
The remark drew laughter from the audience.
It was a light moment at an otherwise solemn gathering. But it also touched on a political dispute that has followed Uhuru in recent months.
President William Ruto and several allies have accused the former president of supporting opposition figures, including politicians associated with Sifuna’s Linda Mwananchi movement. Uhuru has rejected the suggestion that he is financing political activities aimed at challenging the government.
Sifuna has also repeatedly denied receiving money from Uhuru. In July, he said the movement was supported by ordinary Kenyans, MPs and other well-wishers. He also said the group had introduced a public fundraising mechanism to help meet the costs of its activities.
The allegations have nevertheless remained part of the political conversation as parties and movements position themselves ahead of the 2027 General Election.
At the Kitale memorial, Uhuru appeared keen to shift the focus back to voters.
He said Kenyans should be allowed to choose their preferred candidate, naming several politicians, including Sifuna, Kalonzo Musyoka, William Ruto and Fred Matiang’i. Citizen Digital reported that he urged politicians to campaign peacefully and leave the final decision to voters.
The gathering brought together leaders from different parts of the political divide to honour Wamalwa, who died in 2003.
For Uhuru, the event was also a reminder of Kenya’s changing political landscape. For the crowd, his mention of Sifuna offered a brief glimpse of the alliances and rivalries already taking shape ahead of 2027.
And with a single joke about not wanting to be called a “sponsor”, Uhuru acknowledged the political speculation without directly engaging in the wider dispute.
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