ODM secretary general Edwin Sifuna and his boss Raila Odinga at a past event. /EDWIN SIFUNA/XODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has declared that the opposition’s central agenda heading into the 2027 general election is to unseat President William Ruto, remarks that drew a swift rebuttal from the head of state.
In an interview on Citizen TV Tuesday night, Sifuna described Ruto’s removal as “a national priority” and dismissed the President’s claims that the opposition lacks a coherent alternative agenda.
“I want him (President William Ruto) to know that his removal from office is a national priority. It is the only agenda because his government is totally opposed to what this constitution stands for,” Sifuna said.
The Nairobi senator argued that the opposition should not be distracted by debates on development projects such as markets, ports or roads when, in his view, the country’s core problem is governance.
“In my ranking, removing Ruto is top, even higher than getting a second terminal at JKIA or dualing Malaba to Mombasa,” he added.
Sifuna also dismissed Ruto’s assertions that slogans like “Ruto Must Go” and “wantam” are unconstitutional, insisting that ultimate power lies with the electorate under Chapter 1 of the Constitution.
“If we decide to give you one term, we will give you one term. If we decide to give you half a term, we impeach you; it is in the constitution,” he said.
He noted that governments have historically been brought down by public pressure and warned of possible unrest if the status quo continues.
“This regime’s response to dissent has been bloody. Over 40 people died during the Saba Saba protests. If we have 800 days to the next election, what does that mean for Kenyans?” Sifuna posed, referring to opposition claims of fatalities during anti-government demonstrations.
The ODM secretary general further indicated the party’s readiness to front a credible presidential candidate in 2027, downplaying suggestions that ODM lacks leadership and signalling openness to working with former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i.
“ODM has not run out of leaders,” he said.
“But this project of removing William Ruto does not allow for sentiment. Even Sifuna is not an angel. Matiang’i has his faults, but if he can help us, so be it.”
He added that he has privately expressed frustrations about the Kenya Kwanza regime to ODM leader Raila Odinga, and defended Raila’s preference for constitutional means over violent street protests.
“Baba believes we should have a democratic opportunity to remove Ruto. How we get there is the conversation,” Sifuna said.
But President Ruto, speaking Wednesday at the Nairobi Securities Exchange during the bell-ringing ceremony for Kenya’s first-ever Linzi Asset-Backed Security, dismissed the opposition’s push as empty sloganeering.
“I listened to a group of friends, Kenyans, brothers and sisters, who say Ruto Must Go. And like those before me, my time will come, and I will go,” Ruto said.
He challenged the opposition to present a clear alternative agenda instead of relying on chants.
“What are your reasons for this, Ruto Must Go? Maybe it’s because you don’t agree with my ideas and policies, which is okay, but kindly favour us with your counter plan,” he said.
Ruto likened the opposition’s campaign to a scam.
“You cannot replace a plan you don’t like with nothing. To me, that sounds like wash, wash conmanship,” he said.
The showdown comes as Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, and Matiang’i spearhead the “wantam” campaign under a united opposition front seeking to deny Ruto a second term.
