His remarks came as part of a tribute to the late Raila Odinga on what would have been his 81st birthday, turning a moment of remembrance into a pointed reflection on the party’s current direction.
Sifuna said the late ODM leader’s legacy was anchored on sacrifice, tolerance and the relentless pursuit of democracy ideals he now fears are being eroded.
He lamented that some party figures were abandoning the principles Raila championed, instead embracing intolerance and silence in the face of internal injustice.
According to him, the environment taking shape threatens multiparty democracy, one of the pillars Raila helped institutionalize during Kenya’s reform years.
Recalling Raila’s central role in Kenya’s second liberation and constitutional transformation, Sifuna warned that the months following his death have opened the door to political regression.
Rather than strengthening internal democracy, he argued, new cracks, mistrust and power struggles are shrinking the political space that ODM historically fought to expand.
He emphasized that multiparty politics was meant to guarantee freedom of expression and divergent ideological positions within parties. Instead, he suggested, conformity and fear now overshadow debate.
In a direct challenge, Sifuna called on leaders who were nurtured by Raila particularly those who built their careers under his mentorship to defend his legacy by resisting internal oppression and championing reforms.
He urged them to spark what he termed a “new political renaissance,” grounded in courage, accountability and open dialogue.
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