ODM Party leader Oburu Oginga has dismissed claims by lawyer Paul Mwangi suggesting that Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna was part of Raila Odinga’s exit strategy from the broad-based government.
Speaking during an interview on Sunday, April 19, Oburu rejected Mwangi’s assertions, stating that he only recognises him as Raila Odinga’s lawyer and not as a political strategist.
The Siaya Senator further cast doubt on the claims, indicating that he was closely involved in the political planning around Raila Odinga’s engagements and was not aware of any such exit strategy being discussed or developed.
Oburu Oginga denies lawyer Mwangi’s remarks on Edwin Sifuna role in Raila exit strategy. Photo: Courtesy.
He maintained that the allegations were inaccurate and not consistent with his understanding of the political processes within the party.
“I don’t know Paul Mwangi in politics; I only know him as Raila’s lawyer. I don’t know since when he was Raila’s strategist to know his strategies. I was personally involved in the strategies, and I don’t remember that, and even if he kept that to himself, he would not have said it to Mwangi and not to me. I don’t think that is accurate,” Oburu noted.
Oburu went on to claim that the relationship between Raila Odinga and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna became strained in the months leading up to Raila’s death.
The ODM leader alleged that Sifuna was involved in organising youths who disrupted a political event in Kakamega, an incident he said embarrassed the former Prime Minister.
He further claimed that the youths chanted slogans that unsettled Raila during the gathering.
Oburu added that despite the incident, Raila acknowledged Sifuna’s democratic right to political expression.
Lawyer Paul Mwangi had on March 29 disclosed that the current divisions within the ODM Party were part of a calculated political strategy rather than an unplanned fallout.
He also suggested that Raila Odinga created internal factions after entering into a political agreement with President William Ruto.
The lawyer stated that both factions linked to Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna reflect different aspects of Raila Odinga’s political identity.
Mwangi argued that the internal groups within ODM represent the complexity of Raila’s political approach, suggesting that his decisions often included strategic planning and contingency mechanisms.
He further claimed that even during Raila Odinga’s engagement with President Ruto, there was an underlying exit strategy, which he associated with the faction perceived to be in opposition to the cooperation arrangement.
Mwangi also suggested that the Sifuna-aligned group functioned as a deliberate fallback position designed to provide balance in case the political cooperation did not succeed.
