KAKAMEGA, Kenya — Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has intensified his criticism of President William Ruto, describing the Head of State as “the biggest problem in this country” and urging Kenyans to vote for a new administration in the 2027 General Election.
Sifuna made the remarks on Friday, August 21, while speaking at the burial of Gloria Sekeiyan Khalwale, the late wife of Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, in Malinya, Ikolomani Constituency, Kakamega County.
The funeral, attended by several political leaders, also provided a platform for renewed political positioning ahead of the 2027 elections. Sifuna attended the ceremony alongside allies associated with the Linda Mwananchi movement, which has emerged as an opposition political vehicle seeking to challenge the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Sifuna accused Ruto of misleading Kenyans during the 2022 presidential campaign by making promises that, he claimed, had not been fulfilled after he took office.
The Nairobi senator particularly took issue with the campaign slogans associated with Ruto’s 2022 bid, including the “Hustler” narrative and the “bottom-up” economic model.
“William Ruto, ulijikuta kwa uongozi, uliingia State House ukiimba slogan. Huwezi kutuambia ‘hustler’ sio slogan… ‘bottom-up’ ilikuwa slogan,” Sifuna said.
He accused the President of making commitments to boda boda operators, women and young people during the campaign before changing course after assuming power.
Sifuna cited a campaign promise he said was made to boda boda operators, arguing that they had been led to believe they would receive opportunities to transition into the taxi business.
“Ulidanganya wananchi, ulikuwa unaenda ukiambia watu wa boda boda ya kwamba ukiingia kwa serikali watatoka kwa boda boda waingie kwa taxi,” he said.
He also criticised the government’s Women’s Charter initiative, claiming that promises made to women during the campaign had not been honoured.
“Alisimama wakati mmoja akaita akina mama wa Kenya, ati anaandikisha kitu inaitwa Women’s Charter, kwa serikali yake akina mama watapewa nusu bin nusu. Alifika alifanya hiyo kazi? Uongo wazi,” Sifuna said.
Sifuna attacks Hustler Fund, SHA
The senator also targeted the Hustler Fund, arguing that Ruto had initially campaigned on providing young people with money to start businesses but later introduced the programme as a loan facility.
“William Ruto aliingia akisema atapea vijana wetu pesa ya biashara bure. Alipoingia, Hustler Fund ile alikuwa anasema itakuwa grant, akageuza ikakuwa loan,” he said.
Sifuna further criticised the government’s implementation of the Social Health Authority (SHA), linking it to Ruto’s 2022 campaign promise on Universal Health Coverage.
He argued that Kenyans had been promised an end to public fundraising to meet medical expenses, commonly known as medical harambees.
“William Ruto ulituambia ya kwamba sisi tukitozwa pesa zaidi ziende kwa SHA, mambo ya harambee ya kuchangia watu wetu kuenda hospitali itakoma, that was the promise of Universal Health Coverage,” Sifuna said.
He challenged the President to publicly declare that medical fundraising had ended.
“Naskia ulikuwanga pastor, nataka William Ruto ubebe bibilia, utangaze mbele ya nchi kwamba harambee za kuchangia watu hospitali zimeisha,” he added.
‘You are the biggest problem in this country’
Sifuna then delivered his most direct political message, calling on Ruto to leave office after the 2027 election.
“William wacha uwongo, na watu wameshakugundua. Kama hiyo uwongo ndio unaita plan yako, sisi tunataka kukuambia plan yetu ni moja tu; uende nyumbani!” he said.
He described Ruto as “the biggest problem in this country” and said an opposition administration would seek to restore what he called Kenya’s “railway of democracy”.
Sifuna also accused the government of interfering with citizens’ freedoms, citing the death of Albert Ojwang in police custody as an example of what he described as state overreach.
“You’re the biggest problem in this country. Tunapoingia katika serikali, kama team ya Linda Mwananchi, tutarudisha Kenya hii yetu kwa reli ya demokrasia,” Sifuna said.
Ojwang’s death in police custody previously triggered widespread public outrage and scrutiny of police conduct.
Sifuna said a future Linda Mwananchi administration would base its manifesto on the Constitution and focus on its implementation.
“Manifesto yetu kama Linda Mwananchi, ni katiba ya nchi ya Kenya, na kazi yetu ni kuhakikisha kwamba katiba hiyo inatekelezwa vilivyo,” he said.
Sifuna dismisses Linda Mwananchi name dispute
Sifuna also sought to downplay the controversy surrounding the registration of the Linda Mwananchi political vehicle.
The Registrar of Political Parties has declined an earlier application to reserve the name Linda Mwananchi Party of Kenya, with concerns reportedly raised over similarities with existing political party names and slogans, as well as public-interest considerations.
Sifuna argued that the movement’s political appeal was not dependent on its name, saying voters were more interested in credible leadership.
“Haijalishi jina gani unaweka, wananchi are looking for credible leadership, watu ambao wanaaminika. Raila Odinga ata angetoka ODM ata tungetoka na yeye. A name is just a name,” he said.
He said efforts to secure the Linda Mwananchi identity would not undermine the movement’s political ambitions.
“Hii fujo mnaona ati wanakazia Registrar kutupatia sisi brand yetu, kwa sababu ni sisi tumejenga hii kitu inaitwa Linda Mwananchi… kwa kimombo wanasema, ‘A rose by any other name will still smell as nice,’” Sifuna said.
The dispute comes as political parties and emerging alliances position themselves for the 2027 General Election, with Sifuna increasingly presenting himself as a potential opposition presidential contender. Recent reporting from the Khalwale funeral has also highlighted the growing political association between Sifuna, Khalwale and the Linda Mwananchi movement.
‘We have been taught by Raila’
Sifuna rejected suggestions that younger opposition politicians lack the experience required to challenge the Kenya Kwanza administration.
He attributed their political experience to years of working alongside veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga.
“Mahali tumefika, a big part of the success that we have achieved, ni kwa sababu watu wanatudharau. Hawa jamaa wanakaanga wanaangalia hawa vijana, wanasema hawa ni watoto kwa siasa hawajui ile kitu wanafanya,” he said.
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He urged his supporters to remain calm despite what he described as attempts to underestimate the emerging political formation.
“Yaani kwa akili yako, unakaa tu unafikiria Sifuna hana chama? Hata kama mnatudharau, hii siasa tumefunzwa na profesa wa siasa mwenye, Raila Amollo Odinga. Kwa hivo mimi nataka watu wetu mtulie tu,” Sifuna said.
Sifuna recalls political rivalry with Khalwale
Sifuna also used the occasion to recount the evolution of his political relationship with Khalwale.
He recalled that the two backed opposing presidential candidates during the 2022 election, with Khalwale supporting Ruto while Sifuna and other opposition figures backed Raila Odinga.
Their political paths, he said, began to converge after the election, particularly following the election of Moses Wetang’ula as Speaker of the National Assembly.
Sifuna narrated how Khalwale accompanied him to congratulate Wetang’ula, joking that the meeting quickly became uncomfortable after the Speaker confronted him over political insults made during the campaign.
“Wetangula akafungua file yangu… kila matusi ushawahi kumtusi, ameandiki chini anakumbuka mpaka tarehe,” Sifuna recalled.
He credited Khalwale with helping prevent the encounter from escalating into a political confrontation.
Sifuna also recalled Khalwale’s removal as Senate Majority Whip, saying the development made him fear that his own political fortunes could soon change.
“Khalwale alikuwa kiongozi wa walio wengi pale Senate, akatolewa mara moja. Siku ile niliona amenyolewa, yangu nilitia maji… nilikuwa najua yangu inakuja,” he said.
The remarks came at a politically charged funeral where Khalwale himself has increasingly aligned with Sifuna’s emerging political formation. The Kakamega senator recently disclosed that he had asked President Ruto not to attend his wife’s burial, citing concerns that the President’s presence could trigger political tensions and distract from the solemn occasion.
With the 2027 election increasingly shaping political alliances, Sifuna’s latest remarks underscore the growing effort by opposition figures to build a unified platform capable of challenging Ruto’s bid for a second term.
