Allies of opposition leader Raila Odinga are caught between a rock and a hard place following former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s failure to clinch the African Union Chairmanship (AUC) chairperson position in Addis Ababa.

 Raila who has been silent since losing to Mahmoud Ali Youssouf of Djibout, has left lieutenants guessing his next course of action. Some of his allies are in a dilemma whether to support President William Ruto’s government or seek other options ahead of the 2027 elections.

The leaders, especially from his Nyanza stronghold, are still waiting for his direc[1]tion on whether he would make a stab at the presidency for the sixth time or he would support President Ruto. While others have kept a low profile, political firebrand, and ODM’s Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has taken on President Ruto, charging that he would still lose the 2027 polls even if he gets support from Raila.

Lost favour Sifuna, who is also the Nairobi Senator, charged that the Orange party will not throw its weight behind Ruto’s administration as intimated by his colleagues from the party.

“The Kenya Kwanza administration has exhibited incompetence and has lost the people’s favour. Even if ODM supports Ruto, he will still lose.

 As a party we do not support either the internal affairs or the external affairs of the way this country is being run,” said Sifuna in a recent morning TV program.

 Raila’s ODM party has found itself navigating a turbulent political storm as internal divisions continue to deepen over whether to support President Ruto’s administration or to chart its own path towards the 2027 polls.

A faction within ODM led by acting party leader and Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o, deputy party leaders Kisii Governor Simba Arati and Vihiga Senator Godfrey Ososti and Sifuna have been criticizing Ruto’s leadership and wants the party to focus on the 2027 General Election.

 “Those who are speculating about our next move, please, give us a break. ODM is a strong party with a strong leader. We are reflecting and when we make a decision, it will not be because someone has told us how to act. It will not be because some people on the streets are telling us what our next move should be. The decisions that the party makes are processed through the party organs,” said Osotsi.

Village party He went on: “ODM is not a village party. This is a serious party that has structures and a party that makes decisions through consultation. Give us time, we are reflecting. The most important and primary task we have as a party is to continue with the process of strengthening our party. “In the next few days, we are going to do that by having meetings in Western Kenya; Bungoma and Busia,: he said.

Sifuna charged that there are people who want to put words in Raila’s mouth after the AUC chairmanship loss in Addis Ababa.

“There are people who have abrogated themselves the role of speaking for Raila Odinga and telling him that they will look for a space to accommodate him. I have even seen colleagues from this senator proposing things like amending the Constitution just to look for a position for Raila. “In fact, as the father of this Constitution, it insults Raila greatly if you stand up and say you are going to amend it, just to look for a seat for him. That is not why he fought for this Constitution,” said Sifuna.

According to Sifuna, members of ODM feel insulted when people run around looking for small seats saying they want to propose him for this or that.

“It is entirely disrespectful to Raila Odinga for you to run around claiming that you are looking for a position to accommodate him. As I said, he is not idle,” said Sifuna.

However, a section of MPs have openly declared their support for Ruto’s administration, raising questions about the Orange party’s unity. Celebrating loss National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohammed (Suna East), Minority Whip Millie Odhiambo (Suba North), Opondo Kaluma (Homa Bay Town), and Migori Woman Rep Fatuma Mohamed are rooting for President Ruto’s administration.

Junet critisized the unpatriotic nature of some Kenyans, saying that when Raila was campaigning, they supported him and after losing, they celebrated.

“We shall revisit. I can assure you. We will revisit that one at the right time. We will also have our day to laugh and celebrate. It is not very far. It is coming. You can take that to the bank. I will remind you on the day we will celebrate, that you also celebrated your day. Insha Allah, Bismillahi Kareem,” said Junet.

On his part, Kaluma claimed that on his return, he met some media people who asked him if he was going to stop supporting the current administration

“It is the patriotic duty of all Kenyans to support the government of the day. I want to tell those people that I happen to be from the community of the Raila. I can tell you that in building one Kenya, count on the Raila to join hands with President William Ruto and continue to the end,” said Kaluma

He said, “For those who think there will be any squabbles between us out of this contest, I have seen the naysayers thinking so. We are going to hold the hand of President William Ruto more firmly to build one united country where all of us will be proud to live in.