Return to ODM Barasa tells Sifuna

By Wakhungu Andaje

Kakamega County Governor Fernandez Barasa has called on Nairobi senator and aspiring Presidential candidate Edwin Sifuna to shelve his ambitions and return to the broad based formation.

The calls comes amidst the ongoing political backstabbing being levelled against him by his opposition friends turned foe after realizing that his popularity was quickly rising among disgruntled Kenyans opposing the current regime.

Barasa made the sentiments in Malava where he disbursed Ksh 7Million grants to 140 women groups noting that Sifuna was being politically blackmailed by his opposition leaders after a section of Kenyans allied to his Linda Mwananchi that has now been taken away from him showered him with enormous support and calls for him to vie for the 2027 Presidential elections against President William Ruto.

The governor displaying the dummy cheque issued to one of the women groups within the Malava subcounty

He urged Sifuna to adhere to what his mentor and party leader the late Raila Odinga had yearned for the ODM party by returning to the political outfit where he was the secretary general and work with President Ruto towards achieving the aspirations of the broad based coalition as per the wishes of Raila. 

“Raila died when he had united his party with UDA to form broad based government that saw four of its (ODM) being appointed as cabinet secretaries in the current government and you should retreat and return home to support the current system” he urged.

He said Sifuna was still young and had a better chance of vying for the presidency come 2032 with the support of President William Ruto only if he crosses over to the government side.

The Kakamega county ODM chairman said the rise of Sifuna was being fought by the very people he entrusted as friends turned foes and advised him to quickly read the signs of time and make bold and faster decision to remain politically relevant.

“You had announced that you were to launch your new party Ukombozi party but as you were duped by Babu Owino and then by Kalonzo Musyoka who rushed ahead of you to launch the same party you were to, this is political double cross and you should be wise to know whom to trust and work with.”

He at the same time, hit out at retired President Uhuru Kenyatta for initiating political vengeance to scuttle President William Ruto’s government through funding the opposition to field a candidate to oppose his second term bid.

He added that the former President was now busy trying to divide Kakamega and Kenyans at large by instilling his political stogies against leaders the current leaders within the country.

He warned him to stay away from broad based politics as he was no inconsequential after he failed to assist the late Raila become President while he was in office.

“I want to tell our former President Uhuru Kenyatta to desist from engaging in ODM and broad based politics as he has no powers to make anyone President as he terribly failed to do so when he had the powers and machinery that later saw the current (William Ruto) being declared winner,” he mocked.

A sea of humanity who thronged the occasion in support of the governor and current regime.

Barasa warned that his (Uhuru’s) political indulgence in broad based and against President William Ruto will not be tolerated at all and instead he should assume his position as a statesman to advise and give direction to nations. 

The governor maintained that the current leadership was in control to transform the country and together they will emerge winners for their second term in office in 2027.