'We dont want to finance a civil war,' Sifuna on why ODM has withheld Ford Kenya's money

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has come out to explain why the party is yet to disburse to its National Super Alliance (NASA) partner Ford-Kenya their fair share of money from the Political Parties Fund.

Speaking Tuesday morning on Citizen TV’s Day Break show, Sifuna stated that the other NASA coalition affiliate parties have received their share of the funds.

He said constant leadership wrangles within the Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula-led party had made it difficult to release the money to them.

The ODM Secretary General also said his Ford-Kenya counterpart Eseli Simiyu is in agreement with the decision to withhold the money, and that it is documented in writing.

“The only monies we are holding are monies for Ford-Kenya, and it is because we do not want to finance a civil war,” Sifuna stated, adding that “we don’t want to give a fraction of the money so that they can go and decimate the other.”

“We have said that we will respect the court process in respect of the Ford-Kenya leadership angle. It is our money; this money is ex-gratia.”

He added: “My counterpart in Ford-Kenya, Eseli Simiyu, is in agreement that in fact we should hold this money until the leadership wrangle is resolved.”

Sifuna further said ODM has, contrary to claims, given the Kalonzo Musyoka-led Wiper Democratic Movement party its share from the fund.

He, however, declined to divulge further details as to whether ODM had released Wiper’s full share, said to be around Ksh.70.4 million, or only a part of it.

“I am not keeping any money, almost three months ago we sent Wiper their money,” said Sifuna.

The ODM SG previously quarreled with the Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu over remarks that NASA affiliate parties would not receive funding due to what she termed as a failure by the coalition to outline the framework for sharing the funds.