Sakaja, however, stopped short of announcing a political defection, saying he is still consulting and weighing his options before making a final decision on the party he will use to defend his Nairobi seat.

Speaking during an interview with Radio Citizen on Wednesday, August 26, the governor acknowledged that he had held discussions with various groups linked to ODM, including youth, women leaders and Members of Parliament.

“There has been that call. Some officials and party members have said that they want me to move to their party. I have had meetings with the youths who met the other day; women leaders and MPs were also present; you can’t ignore that,” Sakaja said.

The governor said he was taking the calls seriously but maintained that there was no official date for his departure from UDA.

“There is no official date for when we will leave UDA, but the call is there. It is something I am observing, we must also look at what people are saying. If that’s what they want then I am their employee,” he said.

Sakaja linked the renewed speculation over his possible move to ODM to his close relationship with the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who died in October 2025.

The governor described Raila as a father figure and said the former ODM leader had also wanted him to join the party before his death.

“In October, we will be marking one year since Raila left us and we were very close, he was like my father, and he also wanted that (to join). We were in touch a lot before his death,” Sakaja said.

The remarks come amid intensified political realignments in Nairobi ahead of the 2027 elections, with ODM leaders openly courting the governor.

In July, ODM Director of Elections and Suna East MP Junet Mohamed told Sakaja to join the party if he wanted its backing for a second term, arguing that ODM remained a dominant political force in Nairobi.

Sakaja was elected governor in 2022 on a UDA ticket and has since worked closely with President William Ruto’s administration. He has also repeatedly expressed his intention to defend his seat in 2027.

The governor said political decisions must also take into account continuity in governance, arguing that frequent political transitions can disrupt development programmes.

His latest remarks came a day after former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua claimed Sakaja was considering moving to ODM, saying the ruling UDA was losing key political figures.

For now, Sakaja remains a UDA member, leaving his next political move as one of the key questions likely to shape the battle for Nairobi ahead of the 2027 polls.

The post Johnson Sakaja Breaks Silence on Possible ODM Move Ahead of 2027 appeared first on Insider Bits News.

In a complaint filed through Aguko, Osman & Company Advocates, Senator Oketch accuses Sifuna of illegally usurping powers reserved for the Party Leader by allegedly engaging in coalition negotiations without authority.

The complaint cites Article 16(1)(f) of the ODM Constitution, which states: “The Party Leader shall lead the Party at political negotiations to form a working coalition with any other Party or Parties with the sole purpose of forming the Government as may be desirable in the circumstances.”

According to Oketch, Sifuna acted outside this provision by purporting to negotiate or pronounce himself on coalition matters, despite not holding the mandate to do so.

The ODM chair further accuses the senator of indiscipline and dishonesty, alleging that he publicly disowned the party’s participation in the Broad-Based Government arrangement even though the position had been formally adopted by the relevant party organs.

The letter argues that such conduct violates Article 11(1)(e) of the party constitution, which requires members to: “Observe discipline, the Party’s Code of Conduct and obey lawful decisions made by the Party organs.”

Oketch also claims Sifuna frustrated ODM’s objectives under Article 7(1)(aa), which lists among the party’s aims

“To enter into coalition with political parties pursuing similar objectives in the Republic of Kenya.”

He contends that Sifuna’s repeated public pronouncements against coalition arrangements undermined the party’s strategic direction and progress, which he was instead expected to champion as Secretary General.

Further, the complaint accuses Sifuna of reckless and deliberate sabotage by allegedly disclosing confidential party information, including sensitive details about the funding of ODM’s 2022 presidential campaign.

According to the letter, Sifuna:

“Made public remarks on confidential Party affairs concerning the Party’s funding of the 2022 Presidential campaigns particularly the source of some funds and their dispatch.”

The disclosure, it argues, breached Article 11(1)(f) of the ODM Constitution, which obligates members to refrain from publishing or distributing confidential information without proper authorization.

The complaint describes the senator as being “on rampage and completely out to sabotage the Party,” adding:

“He has self-declared himself ‘Waziri wa Sherehe’ and seemingly got lost in the ‘Sherehe’ and no longer prioritizes the progress of the Party.”

Citing Article 18(1)(e) of the party constitution, which entrusts the chairperson with enforcing discipline and order, Oketch is seeking Sifuna’s immediate suspension from discharging duties or presenting himself as ODM Secretary General.

He also wants Sifuna de-whipped and recalled from all parliamentary leadership positions and committees, arguing that those roles were enabled by ODM membership whose ideologies he allegedly no longer subscribes to.

Further, the chairperson asks that Sifuna be deemed to have resigned from the party, with his name struck off the party register under Section 14A(2) and (3) of the Political Parties Act, or, in the alternative, that formal disciplinary proceedings be commenced to expel him under Section 14B of the same law.

However, Senator Sifuna has dismissed the complaint as baseless and politically motivated, accusing Senator Oketch of resurrecting a matter that had previously failed.

“Senator Eddy Oketch is once again the complainant against his colleague Senator Edwin Sifuna over allegations that have no legal legs to stand on,” Sifuna said.

“He was the hired assassin against us and lost and together with ODM were ordered to pay us costs. He will most certainly lose again should he continue with this misadventure.”

Sifuna said he had personally spoken to Oketch and urged him to withdraw the complaint to avoid reputational damage.

“I have spoken to him directly and asked him to withdraw this letter at least to save his reputation,” he said.

Quoting former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Sifuna remarked:“You will go far, very far indeed, but in the wrong direction.”

He maintained that his criticisms of ODM were longstanding and that party members deserved honesty.

“ODM faithfuls deserve to know the truth. The people who treated Baba, ODM and ODM members as ATM machines are now being exposed,” Sifuna said, adding:

“Those receiving weekly payments and billing three sources for the same goods and services are known.”

The dispute now places ODM’s internal cohesion under fresh strain as party organs consider whether to escalate the matter through formal disciplinary channels.

The post ODM Chair Oketch seeks to Expel Sifuna Over Coalition Talks, Discipline Breach appeared first on Insider Bits News.