Someone Is Funding ODM Activities, Says Sifuna

By Suleiman Mbatiah

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) activities are being funded through channels outside the party’s official accounts, Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has disclosed, raising fresh questions over the financing of recent political rallies.

Speaking on Citizen TV’s The Explainer , the Nairobi Senator said funds used in high-profile ‘Linda Ground’ rallies are not coming from ODM headquarters, where he is a signatory to party accounts.

“I can state authoritatively that the resources you see being spent in ODM rallies are not coming from ODM headquarters. I can only account for monies that I am a signatory to,” Sifuna told host Yvonne Okwara.

He said the last official ODM expenditure was for the party’s 20th anniversary celebrations in Mombasa, dismissing claims that officials were secretly bankrolling events.

Sifuna, who shares signatory rights with party treasurer Timothy Bosire, alleged, for a fact, that parallel funding existed for activities branded as ODM events.

“You will ask them,” he said when pressed on the funding source, the ODM chief administrator declined to elaborate.

He revealed that ODM’s third quarter remittance of about Sh100 million arrived only two weeks ago. This, he said, is a fraction of what the party should receive.

“As we speak, ODM is owed Sh12 billion by the Treasury, yet my former chairperson is the Cabinet Secretary for the Treasury,” Sifuna said, referring to John Mbadi.

The remarks come amid internal divisions following the National Dialogue Committee talks between late ODM leader Raila Odinga and President William Ruto.

Sifuna is perceived to have fallen out with the faction led by new party leader Oburu Oginga, Raila’s brother. Some members have called for his removal over opposition to ODM’s cooperation with the Ruto administration.

Party chairperson Gladys Wanga has defended him, saying expressing personal opinions is not grounds for removal in a democratic party.

During the interview, Sifuna noted that one NADCO outcome was an agreement to establish an independent political parties regulatory commission to oversee party funding and regulation.