Don't be too tough - Raila advises Sifuna after 'clash' with CS Mbadi at MP Were burial

Speaking during the funeral of late Kasipul MP Charles Were in Oyugis, Homa Bay County, Raila explained that his agreement with the Kenya Kwanza government is founded on the ten-point agenda listed in the Memoranda of Understanding (MoU). 

He added that it would be beneficial for the party if the members supported the four ODM Cabinet Secretaries in their work. 

"The spokesman of the party is the Secretary General. When Sifuna speaks, he speaks on behalf of the party but then sazingine apana kuwa chungu sana. We have an arrangement with Kenya Kwanza and put it in black and white, a 10-point agenda and want it to be fully implemented," Raila stated. 

Raila's remarks came after Treasury CS John Mbadi called on Sifuna to support his role in government, citing that it would be beneficial for ODM if he, alongside Hassan Joho (Mining), Opiyo Wandayi (Energy) and Wycliffe Oparanya (MSMEs) succeeded in their duties.

"I am the longest-serving ODM chairman and the reason I'm placing a lot of effort into transforming this economy is because I found it in bad shape," Mbadi stated. 

"Another reason is I wanted to demonstrate to Kenyans that if Raila had become president, these are the people he would have gone with to government, and this is what they would have done," he added. 

"If I am there, I expect total support from the part, starting with the Secretary General. My brother Sifuna, I am a member of your party and I don't belong to any other. If I fail, there's no way you can convince anyone in 2027 that ODM can run a government."

On Wednesday, May 7, Sifuna took issue with Mbadi for failing to appear before the Senate. During the proceedings, the Nairobi Senator vowed to hold all leaders to account regardless of their party affiliation. 

“For as long as I remain the senator of Nairobi, and the oath that I took on the first day that I came to this house, there is not going to be a minister that we are going to protect or babysit," Sifuna stated. 

"It doesn’t matter whether they come from ODM or wherever. They are there to serve the public.”