Speaking in Murang'a county. Edwin Sifuna came out loud and criticised some of the ODM officials like the Suna East Member of Parliament Honourable Junet Mohamed, who he accused of squandering campaign that was leashed by the former President Uhuru Kenyatta in support of the Azimio Presidential candidate.
The exchange, unfolding over the past few days, highlights deepening rifts in the party amid broader political realignments in Kenya's broad-based government.
The controversy ignited during the funeral of former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo in Lumakanda on December 30, 2025.
Senator Sifuna, addressing mourners, took a swipe at the dilapidated state of roads in Sindo, Suba South Constituency in Homa Bay Mbadi's home turf.
"I am sorry I came a bit late because I took my family out in Sindo, but I was held up due to bad roads in the headquarters of the Treasury," Sifuna quipped, drawing laughter from the crowd.
His comments were widely seen as a veiled criticism of Mbadi, who previously served as MP for the area for 15 years before his appointment as Treasury CS, implying neglect despite Mbadi's influential position.
Mbadi, responding on December 31, 2025, avoided a direct confrontation but issued a pointed message emphasizing progress and unity.
In a statement shared on social media, he acknowledged hearing "cast aspersions on the status of Sindo road" and countered by highlighting ongoing developments.
"The region is unapologetically on a pathway towards economic freedom," Mbadi stated, adding that the Mbita Sindo Kiabuya Sori Road a 74-kilometer project aimed at boosting trade, fishing, and the blue economy around Lake Victoria is now under construction to bitumen standards.
He further remarked, "He's lucky he's a beneficiary of double-bet politics," in an apparent jab at Sifuna's position within ODM while critiquing party members in government.
Analysts view Mbadi's response as indirect, laced with ethnic undertones and a reminder of shared Luo heritage. In a separate clip circulating online, Mbadi elaborated:
"I wish to remind Sifuna, We Luos have done enough of political liberation. Unapologetically we are on a pathway towards economic freedom."
This invocation of ethnic solidarity underscores the cultural dimension of the dispute, as both leaders hail from Luo-dominated regions, and comes amid accusations that Sifuna's remarks are fueling division within ODM.
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