How the Edwin Sifuna and William Ruto dispute unfolded
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna opposed ODM's cooperation with President William Ruto and said he would not support an ODM decision to endorse Ruto in 2027. ODM removed him as secretary-general in June 2026. He was later unveiled as leader of The Equitable Party and the Linda Mwananchi movement's presidential candidate, while Ruto publicly criticised him and his party.
25 July 2024 to 30 October 2026 · 21 dated events · 48 sources
Status in the record · 2 November 2026
Sifuna has been unveiled as leader of The Equitable Party and the Linda Mwananchi movement's 2027 presidential candidate. Reports in October described a proposed change of party name to the Linda Mwananchi Movement and objections to it. A final registration decision has not been verified for this timeline. Ruto's public criticism and Sifuna's documented denial of the governors' extortion allegations are recorded below.
Coverage through30 October 2026Editorial review2 November 2026
Main story: 25 July 2024 to 30 October 2026. The full timeline also includes labelled context or related events.
Senator for Nairobi, ODM secretary-general until June 22, 2026, now leader of The Equitable Party and the Linda Mwananchi movement's declared 2027 presidential candidate
William Ruto
President of Kenya since September 13, 2022
Photo: Lukasz Kobus / European Commission · CC BY 4.0 · Original photoResized and cropped to fit.
21 recorded eventsCounts describe this timeline's coverage, not the merits of either participant's position.
Timeline of events
Overview · 25 Jul 2024 to 30 Oct 2026 · click a dot to jump
21 events shown
2024
25 Jul 2024
Edwin SifunaStatement
Sifuna says ODM did not endorse the Cabinet picks
A day after Ruto nominated four ODM figures, among them John Mbadi and Opiyo Wandayi, to his Cabinet, Sifuna told Citizen TV the party had not recommended them, that they would serve in their individual capacity and that he expected them to resign their party posts before vetting.
“They do not have blessings of the party.”Edwin Sifuna, The Star (Kenya)
Ruto ally Sudi tells Sifuna to join the opposition
Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi, whom The Star described as a close ally of Ruto, replied in a post on X that Sifuna was free to join Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka in building an opposition, The Star and People Daily reported.
“feel free to enjoy your constitutional right”Oscar Sudi, The Star (Kenya)
At the burial of George Oduor, Odinga's long-serving security aide, at Ramba in Siaya County, Sifuna urged Ruto to act against officials he said had interfered with Butere Girls High School's play Echoes of War at the national drama festival.
Replying at the same event, Ruto told Sifuna to go slowly, said he was a founder of ODM and joked that he could convene the party's founders to discipline him. Citizen Digital described the exchange as light in tone but pointed. Ruto did not address the school play.
“ujue mimi ndio mwanzilishi wa ODM”William Ruto, Citizen Digital
In a Citizen TV interview Sifuna said the memorandum with Ruto's party died when Albert Ojwang died in police custody. In the Senate on June 10, 2026, he confirmed that he had declared the memorandum dead on July 22, 2025, and linked his criticism to delays in implementing it.
Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei said in a post on X that Sifuna was misleading the nation, that ODM had a working partnership with the Kenya Kwanza government, that Ruto and Odinga would work beyond 2027 and that Sifuna should leave, The Star and TV47 reported.
“the earlier he bolts out the better for him”Samson Cherargei, The Star (Kenya)
Speaking in Trans Nzoia, Sifuna said he would not read an ODM resolution endorsing Ruto for 2027 and would not be part of that decision, The Star and K24 reported. Both reports record his defence of members' right to express independent views.
“If they endorse Ruto, I won't be a part of that.”Edwin Sifuna, The Star (Kenya)
ODM committee votes to remove Sifuna, tribunal stays it
ODM's National Executive Committee resolved on February 11 to remove Sifuna as secretary-general. Chairperson Gladys Wanga said 34 of 40 members attended and that indiscipline cannot be mistaken for democracy. Sifuna called the decision illegal and linked it to his opposition to backing Ruto. The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal then stayed the resolution pending the hearing of his application, The Star and Citizen Digital reported on February 12.
“I have refused and opposed any plans and schemes within the party to support President William Ruto's re-election”Edwin Sifuna, Citizen Digital
Governors accuse senators including Sifuna of extortion
The Council of Governors accused Sifuna of extortion, according to The Standard and Kenyans.co.ke. On February 12 he denied the allegations and challenged the governors to produce evidence. The allegations are not a finding of wrongdoing.
Kitengela rally dispersed and an attendee reported killed
Police dispersed a Linda Mwananchi rally in Kitengela and an attendee was reported killed, The Star and Citizen Digital reported. In a February 26 Senate statement, Sifuna alleged that police disrupted the February 15 gathering and fatally shot an attendee, and requested an account of the deployment, use of force and investigations. His statement records an allegation and a request for scrutiny, not an investigative finding.
Speaking in Nakuru County, Murkomen said police had not been informed of the Kitengela rally, that it was held on a market day and that organisers had brought in groups, from Machakos and Nairobi according to Citizen Digital. Kenyans.co.ke reported that Sifuna told the Senate he had notified Murkomen of a later rally in Kakamega.
Man killed in clashes before Linda Mwananchi rally
Before a Linda Mwananchi rally in Kakamega on February 21, a man was killed by a mob in Mbale, Vihiga County, during clashes between rival supporters, Citizen Digital and People Daily reported.
The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal struck out Sifuna's complaint, saying it lacked jurisdiction until the party's internal dispute process had been tried, and said his removal should not be filed with the Registrar of Political Parties meanwhile. People Daily reported that ODM had told the tribunal in an affidavit that its February resolution was not final.
ODM's National Executive Committee removed Sifuna as secretary-general, adopting the recommendations of a party dispute committee, and acting secretary-general Catherine Omanyo announced the decision. The Star reported that days earlier the tribunal had ruled the February resolution invalid to the extent that it removed him without a fair hearing, while allowing ODM to conclude disciplinary proceedings. Al Jazeera reported that Sifuna had opposed closer cooperation with Ruto.
The Standard and The Star reported that the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal dismissed Sifuna's challenge to his removal. They reported that it rejected his objection to the National Executive Committee's authority to appoint the disciplinary panel and found that he had received an opportunity to be heard. This outcome concerns the later disciplinary process, distinct from the earlier removal without a hearing.
At a Linda Mwananchi rally ending at Jacaranda grounds in Nairobi, Sifuna said Ruto would be Kenya's first one-term president and called him the biggest enemy of democracy, Citizen Digital reported. AFP reported that armed gangs had disrupted earlier Sifuna rallies and cited Human Rights Watch as saying six people had been killed in attacks on political and civil society gatherings in recent months.
“Kenya is saying, Honorable Ruto, your time is up.”Edwin Sifuna, Eyewitness News (AFP)
Linda Mwananchi names Sifuna its presidential candidate
After a leadership retreat, the Linda Mwananchi movement said in a statement that Sifuna would be its leader and 2027 presidential candidate, that he would unveil the party on whose ticket he would run in early October and that it would seek a coalition with like-minded parties. Capital FM reported that Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Rigathi Gachagua's party were not represented.
Ruto tells Sifuna to seek refinery agreement through Parliament
Ruto told Sifuna to use parliamentary procedures to obtain the agreement for the proposed Dangote refinery, Citizen Digital and The Standard reported. Sifuna had questioned why Parliament had not been shown the agreement or the commitments Kenya had made for the project.
In Nairobi, Sifuna was declared leader and presidential candidate of The Equitable Party, with Babu Owino, Boni Khalwale, James Orengo, George Natembeya and Godfrey Osotsi among those present, Citizen Digital reported. The Standard reported that the party would seek to rename itself the Linda Mwananchi Movement after the Registrar reserved the Linda Mwananchi name on October 1.
On a tour of West Pokot, Ruto called Sifuna Mr Empty and mocked The Equitable Party as The Empty Party, Capital FM and Citizen Digital reported. Both reports said he criticised Sifuna's appeals for small contributions.
“Mr Empty went and launched a party called The Empty Party.”William Ruto, Capital FM (Kenya)
Linda Mwananchi opens its headquarters as the name change is pending
Sifuna launched the party secretariat in Nairobi and proposed officials, including Caroli Omondi as secretary-general and Godfrey Osotsi as chairperson, for endorsement by a delegates conference, and named George Natembeya to lead his campaign, The Standard and Kenyans.co.ke reported. Citizen Digital and The Standard had reported a proposed change of name to the Linda Mwananchi Movement and objections to it. A final registration decision has not been verified for this timeline.
Secretary-general until removed by the National Executive Committee on June 22, 2026
Removal challenge
The Standard and The Star reported that the tribunal dismissed his challenge on September 10, 2026
Party
Unveiled as leader of The Equitable Party, with a proposed change of name to the Linda Mwananchi Movement
Candidacy
Named the Linda Mwananchi movement's presidential candidate on September 26, 2026
Revision history
2 Nov 2026CorrectionAdded Senate records and corroboration for the September tribunal outcome. Withheld insufficiently corroborated statements and the anonymous-source opposition shortlist, and clarified that the proposed party name change is not a verified final registration.
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Coverage through 30 October 2026. Editorial review: 2 November 2026. Spotted an error? See corrections. Copyright concerns: report an asset. Every event links to its sources. Source type does not establish whether a claim is true.
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