By Billy Mijungu
That rebellious streak people complain about is actually the art of negotiation. It is the ultimate definition of value. A negotiator who cannot push back has no leverage. Edwin Sifuna embodies that leverage. There is no copy and paste version of him, just as there is no copy and paste version of Raila Odinga.
Sifuna today is the closest political reflection of Raila Odinga within ODM. The difference between Sifuna and others who were removed before is clear. Others were shown the door because they were not loyal enough to ODM. Sifuna faces removal because of absolute loyalty to ODM. He has refused to dilute the party’s values simply to secure comfort or temporary political convenience. He has insisted that ODM must remain ODM.
Identity is everything in politics. Tribe matters. Creed matters. Party matters. Associations matter. When identity collapses, negotiation collapses. Sifuna has consistently defended the ideological and political identity of ODM. He has reminded supporters and opponents alike what the party stands for. That clarity is power.
When you remove strong internal voices, you do not create unity. You create conformity. And conformity is political weakness. ODM’s strength has always been its ability to negotiate from a position of conviction, not submission.
When Raila exited the local political battlefield, ODM became politically unwell. If Sifuna is removed, ODM risks losing its spine altogether. A party that cannot defend its own identity cannot negotiate alliances, cannot inspire its base, and cannot command respect. It simply blends in and fades away.
If Sifuna goes, ODM’s bargaining power shrinks. And in politics, once your negotiation power dwindles, your relevance follows.
