The spirited efforts by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna to retain his Secretary General position in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party hit a dead end on Thursday after the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) effected changes, formally okaying his ouster.
With time running out and the 2027 General Elections approaching, Sifuna, who for months has been entangled in a protracted legal battle with the party, faces tough, decisive options. The Eastleigh Voice analysed three political paths available to the outspoken politician heading the renegade Linda Mwananchi faction of the Orange party.
Unveil a fresh party and enter a coalition
After the bitter fallout with ODM, it is clear that Sifuna finds it untenable to remain in an outfit where he has become a stranger to loyalists of the broad-based arrangement backing President William Ruto’s reelection.
Reports suggest Sifuna is headed to a new party. According to KANU Party spokesperson Tony Gachoka, the new party has already been formed and will be unveiled in the coming days.
Speaking on a local radio station on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, the outspoken analyst said the outfit is expected to serve as the political vehicle through which leaders from Western Kenya will rally behind the United Opposition ahead of the 2027 General Election.
“This month, there is a critical meeting in Western Province starting from Kitale, led by Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya. The Tawe Movement is going to convert itself into a political party. That party already has Jack Wamboka Kalasinga; the party will consolidate all the Bukusu votes.”
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna (left) is reportedly eyeing a revamped Tawe Movement, popularised by Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya (right). (Photo: X/Edwin Sifuna)
According to Gachoka, the new party will transform the Tawe Movement, Governor Natembeya’s political slogan, into a fully-fledged party. He argued its main objective will be to consolidate the Western Kenya vote, particularly the Bukusu vote, which he claimed accounts for nearly half of the region’s electorate.
The development follows a 10-hour meeting at Natembeya’s Kitale residence, where he hosted Sifuna and other Linda Mwananchi leaders.
Natembeya later declared he would fully back Sifuna’s presidential ambitions and lead campaigns for him across Western Kenya. He pledged to traverse all 38 constituencies in the Mulembe region to mobilise support as Sifuna tours the country seeking nationwide backing.
Natembeya also revealed that a new political party will soon be unveiled to serve as the region’s political vehicle in support of Sifuna’s bid.
Eye running mate position in the United Opposition movement
Touted as a favourite running mate to Opposition principals, especially Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, the Nairobi Senator could ditch ODM and join another Opposition party to secure a coalition slot.
A joint Musyoka-Sifuna ticket is highly favoured by opposition supporters to challenge President Ruto in 2027. This pairing frequently emerges as a top choice in national surveys, though coalition discussions remain fluid.
A recent Trends and Insights For Africa (TIFA) survey revealed that 28 per cent of opposition supporters preferred a Kalonzo-Sifuna ticket. Analysts suggest Kalonzo’s experience and calm demeanour, combined with Sifuna’s vocal, youth-driven activism, make for a formidable campaign strategy.
Eugene Wamalwa, Rigathi Gachagua, Kalonzo Musyoka and Fred Matiang’i after their June 2 meeting on Ebola response, the Finance Bill 2026 and the Ol Kalou by‑election. (Photo: Kalonzo Musyoka/X)
While voters and polls favour Kalonzo with Sifuna as running mate, discussions within the broader United Opposition coalition are ongoing.
Wreck ODM from within and lead a mass walkout
Another option for Sifuna is to remain in ODM and lead a mass walkout of silent, like-minded leaders at an opportune time. This would weaken the party and deny it leverage against the ruling Kenya Kwanza Coalition.
In 2002, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga wrecked KANU from within by merging his National Development Party (NDP) with the ruling party, then leading a mass walkout after President Daniel arap Moi bypassed him to name Uhuru Kenyatta as his successor.
Raila’s stated goal was to reform KANU from within, but the move created deep divisions with older stalwarts who felt threatened by his influence.
According to political analyst Samuel Owida, Sifuna could replicate such a strategy to prove he was persecuted for standing by Raila’s ideals.
“If he can walk out of ODM with several fellow leaders, then it will be a political storm that the Oginga Oburu-led wing may not contain easily. He will render the party a regional outfit and reduce its strength in some regions,” Owida suggests.
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