Opposition chief Raila Odinga is staring at a fresh political storm in Nairobi as two of his most vocal allies, Edwin Sifuna and Babu Owino, signal growing discontent with the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
Sifuna, the party’s secretary general and Nairobi senator, together with Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, have become the faces of a disgruntled faction within ODM. Both have declared their ambitions for 2027, with Sifuna seeking to defend his senatorial seat and Babu vowing to run for governor whether or not he carries the party’s ticket.
“I know ODM cannot give me a ticket because Johnson Sakaja was endorsed at Bomas, but I love Baba. It doesn’t matter, because it is the citizens who vote,” Babu asserted.
The friction mirrors the costly 2022 misstep, when ODM dropped Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi in favour of Jubilee’s Polycarp Igathe. The gamble backfired, handing the governor’s seat to Sakaja. Wanyonyi has since shifted his political base to Bungoma, leaving ODM without a tested gubernatorial option in Nairobi.
Sifuna, whose fiery rhetoric has cemented his grassroots appeal, has warned he will quit ODM if the party embraces President William Ruto in 2027. “The day the party decides to support Ruto, that one I will not read,” he declared.
The potential exit of the two would leave Raila scrambling for replacements with similar stature. Current ODM stalwarts in Nairobi Makadara MP George Aladwa, Ruaraka’s TJ Kajwang, Mathare’s Antony Oluoch, and Dagoretti North’s Beatrice Elachi lack the youth appeal and digital resonance of Sifuna and Babu. Only Aladwa has expressed interest in the governor’s seat.
Political analysts caution that the duo’s defiance resonates with a restless youth demographic, particularly Gen Z, who are expected to play a decisive role in 2027. Their fearless articulation of national issues and strong online presence are recasting them as natural heirs to future leadership.
“They are asserting themselves and positioning as national figures for 2027 and beyond,” analyst Martin Andati observed. Another analyst, Mark Bichachi, noted: “This election is about the people, not top politicians. The people disagree with politicians, but politicians agree with the people.”
For Raila, managing this rebellion may determine ODM’s hold on Nairobi’s strategic seats in the next election.
