Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna suffered a fresh political blow on Thursday after a contentious late-night Parliamentary Group meeting on Wednesday led to his removal as Senate Deputy Minority Whip, amid growing divisions within the opposition.
The meeting, held at Senate Minority Whip Ledama Ole Kina’s office, came hours after a section of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) senators met President William Ruto at State House, Nairobi, with the developments fuelling claims that the removal process had been set in motion earlier in the day.
Sifuna was replaced by Migori Senator Eddy Oketch after 21 Azimio-aligned senators convened to discuss changes within the Senate leadership. The meeting, however, turned chaotic after members disagreed over the proposed removal, with reports of a physical confrontation among senators.
The gathering was called by Ole Kina, who informed senators that a parliamentary group meeting would take place at his office at 7.30pm. Members were reportedly not given the agenda in advance, with the matter only disclosed after they arrived.
The lack of prior notice raised concerns among senators allied to the Linda Mwananchi faction, who mobilised under the leadership of Kitui Senator Enock Wambua and Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah after learning that Sifuna’s removal was likely to be discussed.
During the meeting, tensions escalated, with one senator reportedly standing on a table and attempting to confront a colleague before being restrained.
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The disagreement centred on the proposed changes, with 11 of the 21 senators present opposing Sifuna’s removal. Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi said the deadlock intensified after Ole Kina declined to immediately announce the outcome of the vote.
“The decision by Senator Ledama to withhold the results heightened tensions with senators supporting Sifuna demanding that the outcome be announced immediately,” Osotsi said.
Omtatah questioned the manner in which the meeting was convened, arguing that senators were not given adequate notice or agenda beforehand.
“Senator Ledama insisted the meeting would proceed because the required quorum, comprising half of the 31-member coalition, had been attained. He informed members that the agenda was to remove Senator Sifuna and that there would be no turning back,” Omtatah said.
The removal has further intensified divisions within ODM, coming weeks after Sifuna lost his position as party secretary-general following accusations of insubordination by a faction aligned to Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga. He was also removed from the Senate Energy Committee last month and replaced by Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’.
Sources claimed that President Ruto’s meeting with a section of ODM senators at State House earlier on Wednesday played a role in the events that followed, with one senator alleging that the President encouraged ODM lawmakers to proceed with Sifuna’s removal.
The State House meeting was attended by several ODM senators, including Oburu Odinga, Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda, Eddy Oketch, Hamida Kibwana, nominated Senator Betty Montet, Mohamed Faki, Stewart Madzayo, Issa Juma Boy, Moses Kajwang’ and Johnes Mwaruma, according to sources.
Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka said the timing of the meetings raised questions, noting that the Senate Parliamentary Group meeting came shortly after Oburu led a delegation to State House.
“Soon afterwards, we received a message on the Azimio Senators WhatsApp group summoning a parliamentary group meeting,” Onyonka said.
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