National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has fired back at the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna over the state of Sindo Road in Homa Bay County, describing him as a beneficiary of double-bet politics.

While addressing mourners at the funeral of former Lugari Member of Parliament Cyrus Jirongo in Lumakanda on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, Sifuna took a swipe at Mbadi for the bad road network in his native land despite leading the Treasury.

The road in question, a major infrastructure project, the Mbita-Sindo-Kiabuya-Sori Road, is a 74km stretch being upgraded to bitumen standard to boost connectivity, trade (especially fish and farm produce), and access to schools/healthcare in the Lake Victoria region.  It is aimed at transforming a previously rough road into a modern transport corridor, supporting local economies, and opening up the blue economy. 

Sindo road network

”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 said amid laughter from the crowd.

However, in another turn of events, intensifying the internal wrangles and rocking the ODM party further, Mbadi responded to Sifuna by sharing the current status of the particular project before describing the Nairobi County Senator as a beneficiary of double-bet politics.

”Heard Edwin Sifuna cast aspersions on status of Sindo road. I wish to remind him, Luos have done enough of political liberation. Unapologetically we are on a pathway towards economic freedom. He’s lucky he’s beneficiary of double-bet politics,” Mbadi took to X on Wednesday, December 31, 2025.

At the funeral, Sifuna also apologised to retired President Uhuru Kenyatta over attacks directed at him by a section of the ODM top leadership. The vocal legislator said some ODM leaders are being ungrateful for the role Uhuru played in 2022 when the then ODM leader, the late Raila Odinga, contested for the presidency.

Sifuna’s apology to Uhuru

“Mheshimiwa Uhuru Kenyatta, leo ni tarehe thelathini mwezi wa kumi na mbili mwaka wa 2025, kwa sababu mimi bado ndo katibu mkuu wa chama, mimi bado ndo msemaji wa ODM. Nataka kwa niaba ya chama cha ODM nikuombe msamaha kwa matusi ambayo unaelekezewa na baadhi ya viongozi wa ODM, ambao wamesahau kazi ambayo ulifanya ya kumsaidia Baba (Raila Odinga) awe rais,” Sifuna said.

As cracks within the Orange party continue to widen, Edwin Sifuna went ahead to call out the section of the Oburu Odinga-led party leaders attacking Uhuru, noting that it was wrong for them to cut the hand that once fed them.