Sifuna: Why I was absent during Ruto's Nairobi development tours

The Orange Democratic Movement party Secretary General and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has broken his silence on why he did not accompany President William Ruto for his tours in the city this week.

Speaking on Saturday in Machakos during the burial of Colonel (Rtd) James Gitahi, Sifuna said the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between UDA and ODM does not say that he should accompany Ruto for his tours.

The MoU was signed by Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga at KICC on March 7.

"Recently when we were signing those documents I knew once we live there there are people who will say something that isn't in the agreement, they will say something that doesn't exist, some are these friends of ours from the media," Sifuna said.

"I wake up one day and see a headline that I have stayed away from Ruto's Nairobi meetings. There is nowhere the agreement says the ODM SG will be accompanying the President for his meetings," he explained.

He said even when Raila was in Kiambu recently for a burial, the UDA SG was not present because the agreement doesn't stipulate so.

"Even the President himself knows, I heard him telling Nairobi leaders that everyone should do their work. I will not be voted for by the people based on the number of meetings I have attended with the President, my work is in the Senate, he should do his, 2027 people will decide."

Gitahi was the husband of ODM-nominated Senator Betty Batuli Montet.

He tragically lost his life in a grisly road accident a week ago.

Gitahi passed away on March 7 in a fatal crash at Kyumvi Junction on Mombasa Highway after his vehicle collided head-on with an oncoming lorry, bursting into flames.

The retired military pilot, who was alone in his saloon car, died on the spot after his body was severely burned.