As the country prepares for a highly anticipated political meeting this Saturday between the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), Edwin Sifuna has made his party’s position clear regarding the expected dialogue.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, Sifuna stated that the talks should not revolve around claims of forming a broad-based government if the issues outlined in ODM’s 10-point agenda, introduced by Raila Odinga, have not been implemented.
According to the senator, the discussions must remain focused on the agenda items which ODM leaders say form the foundation of their engagement with the ruling side.
Sifuna warned that the meeting should not be turned into negotiations about sharing political positions or creating new political alliances.
Instead, he emphasized that the priority must be addressing policy and governance matters that directly affect Kenyans.
Among the key issues in ODM’s agenda is the implementation of the two-thirds gender rule, a constitutional requirement that has remained unfulfilled for years.
Sifuna argued that the country has debated gender equality in leadership for too long without putting in place clear mechanisms to make it a reality.
He believes the upcoming dialogue offers a chance to push forward reforms that have stalled for many years.
However, Sifuna’s remarks appear to contrast with comments from Gladys Wanga, who has also defended ODM’s 10-point agenda but rejected claims that the issues have a specific deadline.
Wanga explained that the matters raised in the agenda are long-term national concerns that require continuous engagement.
According to her, problems such as corruption, the rising national debt, and constitutional implementation cannot be solved within a short period.
She maintained that addressing these challenges requires sustained commitment and structured dialogue between political leaders.
With both parties preparing for the Saturday talks, expectations remain high across the political landscape.
Sifuna’s firm stance signals that ODM wants the meeting to focus on meaningful reforms rather than political symbolism.
Whether the dialogue will produce concrete results remains to be seen as the two parties head into the much-anticipated discussions.
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