Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has sharply criticised Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna for declaring the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) dead. In a fiery response, Cherargei accused Sifuna of misleading the public and dismissed his claims as baseless and politically motivated.
The ODM Secretary General had earlier stated in an interview on Citizen TV that the pact had lost its meaning. According to Sifuna, the MoU was anchored on two key principles: the preservation of life following the deadly Gen Z protests and the protection of democratic processes. He said that while democracy had been preserved, with elections still set for 2027, the continued loss of lives most recently that of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang in a police cell rendered the agreement void.
“The day Albert Ojwang dies in a police cell, for me, this agreement is dead. It doesn’t matter what else you do, Albert will not be able to enjoy any of it,” Sifuna declared, adding that he declined to attend a proposed meeting to assess the implementation of the MoU.
However, Cherargei pushed back, arguing that the partnership between ODM and the Kenya Kwanza government was still effective and had been formally signed. “Senator Sifuna is misleading the nation. ODM signed a working partnership with Kenya Kwanza which is doing very well,” Cherargei said.
He went further to suggest that Sifuna’s opposition stems from frustration over being left out of key government appointments. “He is disappointed that most of his colleagues were appointed to Cabinet – John Mbadi, Hassan Joho, Wycliffe Oparanya, and Opiyo Wandayi,” Cherargei said, adding that President William Ruto and Raila Odinga’s cooperation would extend beyond 2027. “The earlier he bolts out, the better for him,” he added.
As divisions within ODM continue to surface, the future of the ODM-UDA partnership remains uncertain, especially amid rising tensions over security, governance, and political inclusion.
