ODM split widens as SG Sifuna disowns party rallies, alleges secret financiers

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has claimed that recent rallies held under the party’s banner are not being financed from ODM coffers, raising fresh questions over funding sources amid growing internal divisions.

Speaking on Citizen TV’s The Explainer show on Tuesday, Sifuna said funds used in the high-profile ‘Linda Ground’ rallies are not coming from ODM headquarters, insisting he can only account for money officially sanctioned by the party.

Sifuna, who is perceived to have fallen out with the ODM faction led by new party leader, the late Raila Odinga's brother Dr. Oburu Oginga, alleged the existence of parallel funding for activities branded as ODM events, but which he says are not sanctioned by the party.

“I can state authoritatively that the resources you see being spent in ODM rallies, the so-called Linda Ground, are not coming from ODM headquarters,” said the outspoken Nairobi Senator.

“I know for a fact that there is parallel funding for activities clothed in ODM colours, and they run around saying they are ODM delegates. Linda Ground rallies are not financed from ODM quarters or party coffers. That one I can tell you for free.”

Pressed on where the money was coming from, the ODM Secretary General said the responsibility lay elsewhere.

“You will ask them. I can only account for monies that I am a signatory to,” he told show host Yvonne Okwara.

Sifuna further dismissed claims that party officials were secretly bankrolling the rallies, saying ODM’s finances are tightly controlled and that there had been no expenditure since ODM’s 20th anniversary celebrations in Mombasa last year.

“Forget this rubbish you hear people saying here. Timothy Bosire, the Treasurer, is also a signatory to the bank accounts, and the last money we expended as ODM officially was for the celebrations in Mombasa, and it was a fraction of what we saw there,” he said.

The ODM SG also raised concerns over the party’s financial position, revealing that it is owed billions by the National Treasury.

“As we speak, ODM is owed a total of Ksh.12 billion by the Treasury, yet we are being told that my former chairperson is the Cabinet Secretary for the Treasury,” he said.

Sifuna’s remarks come against the backdrop of broader political realignments following the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) talks between late ODM leader Raila Odinga and President William Ruto’s UDA party.

He noted that one of the outcomes of the NADCO process was an agreement to establish an independent political parties regulatory commission to oversee the regulation and funding of political parties.

“Baba, through NADCO, had agreed with UDA to establish an independent political parties regulatory commission to oversee the regulation and funding of political parties,” Sifuna said.