By Anderson Ojwang

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna took his fight with the party leader Dr Oburu Oginga a notch higher by asking the toughest question that many have been asking in silence: where were you, and why didn’t you go to India to bring Baba home?

Sifuna asked Dr Oburu where he was when he, Sifuna, went to India to bring the body of the fallen hero, the enigma, Raila Amolo Odinga.

“Where were you when I went to bring the body of our party leader from India? This is the question I want Dr Oburu to answer,” Sifuna said.

The Secretary General didn’t stop at that question but added that while he was airborne, they plotted on Raila’s succession and how to throw him out of the party.

Sifuna said Oburu has been traversing the country saying Raila was like his twin brother and that he loved him so much and he can’t believe he is gone.

“You have been claiming that Raila was like your twin brother. Where were you when he needed you most? At his time of death, why didn’t you accompany us to India to bring back the hero?” he asked.

He said his troubles started with Raila’s death and he knew of a plot to kick him out of the party.

“The day Baba died, I woke up in the morning and got a message: ‘Amolo has left us.’ I knew from that day, my troubles had begun,” he said.

Sifuna wondered how Oburu could claim that Raila was disappointed in him, yet they settled on him as the party official to go bring the body home.

“They said, ‘Sifuna, you were the closest friend to Raila, go and bring him back home.’ Now Oburu is claiming that Baba was mad at me. And it’s ironic that I am the one they sent to go bring him back home. Why didn’t Oburu go to bring Baba home? You are his brother. You keep saying that he was like your twin brother. Why didn’t you go for him? Why was Sifuna the person who had to go for him?” he asked.

Dr Oburu in a recent interview claimed the late Raila had grown increasingly frustrated with Sifuna prior to his death, citing an incident in Kakamega where he said the veteran politician was publicly embarrassed.

“What I knew is that Raila was not happy with what Sifuna was doing… he was fed up to the neck,” Oburu said.

Sifuna claimed that while he went to bring Raila’s body from India, Oburu and other party leaders remained behind to plot against him.

“When I went to bring my father back, they remained in Nairobi to plot against me. I told Raila at his burial: I will not break your party, ODM. It is these people who will chase me away. I have been vindicated. Has it not happened? I kept my promise, and it is they who chased me away,” he said.

Speaking amid an ongoing disciplinary process, Oburu accused the Nairobi Senator of defying party structures, skipping key meetings and running parallel political activities, saying ODM could not be held hostage by one individual.

“He is not the Pope. Do you want us to go and beg him? That because you are our Pope, we cannot do without you?” Oburu said.

Raila’s death marked the beginning of the power game. Suba North MP Caroli Omondi has maintained that while the Secretary General was on board a flight to India to collect Raila’s body, back at home, a team was meeting to install Dr Oburu as the acting party leader, bypassing immediate former acting party leader Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o.

Omondi gave an insight into what could be happening in the party and the emergence of a mysterious hand pulling shots in the party.

“There was a very quick transition even before Baba’s body arrived. When Mzee Oburu announced that he had accepted to be the party leader, he said he did not even know that there was a process to make him party leader. What that implies is that that call came from somewhere else. And that worries me a lot. This is because it therefore seems that ODM is getting directions and controls from somewhere else,” he said.

Before Oburu changed his tone on Sifuna, he defended him, saying he espouses the party’s position.

“I met with my friend, Senator Edwin Sifuna, the Secretary General of the ODM Party, this morning. He remains a sober and principled voice, embodying the democratic ideals we believe in as a party,” he wrote on his X handle.

Oburu said the party was united and encouraged everyone to speak their mind, as that was the foundation on which the party was formed.

“We are one. We are united as the ODM Party. As a leader, I believe we must encourage everyone to speak their mind. Differences of opinion do not mean division. Great parties—like ODM—grow through robust debate and unique challenges. That is where the progress and continuity of our party truly lie: in the hands of our young people. Sisi ni chama cha mapinduzi. Tuko imara,” he wrote.

Recently, Sifuna declared that he cannot be Secretary General to Dr Oburu and described him as mediocre.

Will Oburu reply to Sifuna as to why he didn’t go for his younger brother as is often common traditional practice, and why he inherited Raila’s throne while still airborne and before he could even be buried?

By Anderson Ojwang

Kisumu responded to the spirit of the enigma, the late Raila Amolo Odinga.

Sunday was a historic and turning point in the community and country’s politics as Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and Siaya Governor mastered a bloodless coup against ODM party leader Dr Oburu Oginga and the broad-based operatives.

Darfur, Kondele as it is popularly known, rocked with a sea of humanity, who converged to welcome and witness a power transition.

They greeted Orengo as the party leader with chants of “party leader.”

Linda Mwananchi, fresh from reconnecting with the spirit of Raila at Kango Ka Jaramogi on Saturday evening, stoked and thumped authority in Kisumu.

Kisumu went back to its old form when Raila visited the lake town; it swelled and celebrated.

It was like Raila had resurrected and taken charge of the crowd. It was electric and momentous.

For a week, broad-based operatives led by Alego MP Sam Atandi had threatened that Babu and his team were not welcome in Kisumu.

“We want to tell Orengo and his team they are not allowed in Kisumu. We will not allow them to set foot in Kisumu. This is Linda Ground zone, and we cannot allow them here,” he said.

The Atandi wing deployed the bodaboda team to lead their anti-Orengo-Babu campaign, but it all backfired and failed to stop the political tsunami.

From Nyalenda to Kondele, Kisumu’s hot political thermometer, Linda Mwananchi controlled and dictated the tempo.

Babu roared: “They said we will not come here. We are here in Kisumu. We are home. We have the spirit of Raila, and we are unstoppable.”

From Nyalenda, the team traversed every corner of Kisumu, announcing the entry of a new king in town.

For President William Ruto, this was a wake-up call that his partners and operatives are political neophytes without a sound political foundation in Kisumu and Nyanza.

The reliance on the Oburu-led wing and the UDA operatives has come a cropper and does not resonate with the crowd.

And on Sunday, Linda Mwananchi neutralized Oburu and his wing over who controls Kisumu politics, and now they have to go back to the drawing board.

Babu and Orengo have finally had the last laugh over Oburu and his team.

By Anderson Ojwang

On Saturday evening, there was an emotional return and reconnection for Linda Mwananchi brigades with the spirit of the former party leader of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and mentor, the late Raila Amolo Odinga, at Kango Ka Jaramogi in Bondo.

Six months after his burial, Raila’s militant wing of ODM paid homage at his graveside to draw inspiration for their new political dispensation.

After a successful rally in Vihiga County, Linda Mwananchi was at Kango Ka Jaramogi, Bondo. The home was thrown into a somber mood as the leaders and the residents broke down into tears.

Fresh and sad memories were evoked, and the reality of Raila’s absence became very prominent.

The teary and emotional moment saw some of the Linda Mwananchi brigades break down while others looked sad and disoriented by the reality of coming back to the graveside of Raila.

The historic move by Linda Mwananchi caught their opponents, Linda Ground, napping and could be a turning point in their power struggle.

Linda Ground is yet to pay homage to Raila’s graveside, and the move by their opponents caught them napping and left them punctured.

Linda Mwananchi is seen as Raila’s militant wing in the broad-based arrangement and his exit strategy from the broad-based arrangement with President William Ruto.

ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna said it was the first time in six months after Raila’s burial that he had made a return to Kango Ka Jaramogi to reconnect with his mentor.

“It is my first time coming back here since we buried my boss six months ago. It has been a difficult six months for all of us. I do not know what to say. I honestly miss my boss,” he said.

Linda Mwananchi was received by Councilor Omondi Odinga, who took them to the graveside and later to the mausoleum.

Siaya Governor James Orengo said they paid homage to Raila to reconnect and for spiritual inspiration.

“Today, I led the Linda Mwananchi Movement to Kang’o Ka Jaramogi to honor the giants who paved the way. I returned to the roots of the struggle to pay homage to my mentor, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, and my comrade, Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga,” he said.

Orengo said the visit was meant to seek blessings from Raila and the doyen of opposition politics, the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.

“Before we take the stage, we seek the blessings of our elders and the spirit of the revolution. The foundation is solid. The mission is clear. Kisumu, we are ready. See you tomorrow!” he wrote on his social media platforms.

Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi said Raila’s legacy was with Linda Mwananchi, and they will protect it at all cost.

“After our tour of Vihiga County, the Linda Mwananchi team made a visit to the gravesite of our leader, Raila Odinga, where we paid our respects and reflected on his enduring legacy of sacrifice, resilience and unwavering commitment to justice,” he said.

Osotsi said Raila’s struggle for a better Kenya was not in vain, and that is why they are sacrificing to ensure the struggle continues.

“We were reminded that Baba’s struggle has never been in vain, as it lives on in the hearts of millions of Kenyans who continue to believe in equity, democracy and the rule of law,” he said.

He said the homage was a moment of renewal and now they are ready to take the battle a notch higher.

“Our homage was also a moment of renewal of our collective resolve to carry forward the ideals he championed for decades. We also took time to tour the Jaramogi Mausoleum, a powerful symbol of the rich history and sacrifice of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. As the Linda Mwananchi team, we draw strength from this lineage of courage and conviction and remain steadfast in our mission to stand with the people, defend their rights, and ensure that the vision of a just and inclusive Kenya is realized,” he said.

Currently, Orengo and Dr Oburu Oginga, the ODM party leader, are engrossed in a power struggle. Oburu was recently confirmed as the party leader by the Special Delegates Conference, while Orengo at a rally in Nakuru last week declared himself the party leader.

By Anderson Ojwang

Linda Mwananchi has netted a big catch with the entry of former Cabinet Minister Raphael Tuju at the Kisumu rally.

Tuju, a close confidant of the late Raila Amolo Odinga, joins Siaya Governor James Orengo not only to lock Siaya County but also Nyanza from the broad-based coalition.

Tuju recently met with Orengo in Siaya, and his decision to join the faction is a boost and morale to the group.

This is the beginning of high-powered individuals showing open alignment with the Linda Mwananchi faction.

Tuju, viewed as a sober and unifying factor among the Luo politicians, puts the lethargic ODM party leader Dr Oburu Oginga on the cross.

Oburu, who is struggling to steer the ship, is faced with the daunting task of uniting the party and forming a coalition arrangement with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

Oburu’s Linda Ground is struggling and wobbling, with infighting becoming a common denominator in the group.

Tuju is respected for having placed Rarieda on the development map and has a wide political network.

“I will be in Kisumu. We must give direction to our people. So much lies have been told, and it’s time we told the community the truth,” he said.

Tuju said Nyanza will not be used as toilet paper for cheap political achievement.

“I am in Kisumu, and we have a new dispensation for our community. I have been silent, but it is time we do not allow our community to be led astray by people who want to enrich themselves instead of supporting the community,” he said.

Tuju recently claimed his life was in danger and he was being trailed by unknown people.

Tuju showed his family two sites for burial should he be killed fighting for his property.

Tuju is a strategist and was the Azimio la Umoja Executive Director during the 2022 presidential elections.

Raila spent most of his time at Tuju’s home and hotel holding top strategic meetings.

For Oburu, he is being alienated day by day as top politicians and community members troop to the Linda Mwananchi wing.

Recently, Orengo said he had ousted Oburu as the party leader, saying he had failed to lead the party.

But Oburu on Friday dismissed the ouster, saying Orengo can only be the party leader of birds and not ODM.