Suna East Member of Parliament Junet Mohamed has played down remarks by Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, who recently described lawmakers supporting the Broad-Based Government as “washenzi.”
In a post on his X account, Junet said he would wear the label without complaint, jokingly declaring himself the spokesperson of the “Washenzi” faction within ODM.
He also tagged Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho, Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir, and Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga in the post.
Junet was responding to comments made by Sifuna during the burial of former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo in Lumakanda on Tuesday, where the ODM Secretary General issued an apology to former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
“On behalf of the ‘washenzi’ in the ODM party, I want to apologise for the insults directed at you by some leaders who have forgotten the role you played in helping Baba,” Sifuna said during the ceremony.
His remarks have since sparked mixed reactions within the party, exposing deepening divisions over ODM’s cooperation with the Kenya Kwanza administration under the Broad-Based Government arrangement.
Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma challenged Sifuna and like-minded leaders to quit ODM and join the United Opposition linked to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua if they were uncomfortable with the party’s current direction. Kaluma reiterated his support for the Broad-Based Government, citing its development agenda.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi also weighed in, criticising Sifuna’s comments, particularly those questioning development projects under the current political arrangement. In a post on X, Mbadi said the focus should now shift from political battles to economic progress, noting that the struggle for political liberation had already been achieved.
Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera defended ODM’s cooperation with President William Ruto’s administration, describing it as a strategic move aimed at delivering development. He argued that while opposition politics may be popular, it does not always translate into tangible benefits for citizens.