A fresh political storm has erupted within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) after Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna accused President William Ruto of personally handpicking three senior party members for Cabinet positions without the party’s formal approval.
Speaking on Wednesday, Sifuna claimed that ODM did not officially forward the names of Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, Mining CS Hassan Joho, and Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi for appointment to government.
According to Sifuna, the three leaders accepted their roles following personal persuasion from State House rather than through a structured party decision. He further alleged that the late Raila Odinga had not sanctioned the move.
“Ruto personally persuaded Mbadi, Joho, Wandayi and Oparanya to join the government; their names were not submitted by the ODM party, contrary to the wishes of Raila,” Sifuna said.
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The embattled ODM Secretary-General argued that the narrative that ODM had “lent experts” to the Kenya Kwanza administration was crafted later to justify what were essentially individual political decisions.
He maintained that he had earlier issued a public statement clarifying that any ODM member joining Ruto’s administration would be doing so in a personal capacity.
“The explanation of lending experts was introduced later to sanitise the move,” Sifuna insisted, daring the Cabinet Secretaries to publicly swear that his claims were false.
His remarks come amid growing divisions within ODM as the 2027 succession politics begin to take shape. The tensions intensified after Mbadi hosted a delegation of Luo elders at his office during a crucial stage of the national budget process.
The meeting reportedly focused on party unity and cohesion within the Luo community, drawing criticism over the blending of official duties with party affairs.
Addressing journalists in Nairobi on February 17, 2026, Mbadi downplayed the wrangles, saying internal disagreements within ODM were not new. He noted that similar tensions existed even when Raila was alive, though they were less pronounced.
Wandayi has also publicly declared support for Ruto’s second term, stating during a rally in Siaya that they would continue working with the President as previously guided.
As 2027 approaches, the delicate balance between ODM’s traditional opposition stance and cooperation with the Kenya Kwanza administration appears increasingly strained, raising questions about party unity and political neutrality among serving Cabinet Secretaries.
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