Sifuna: I thought Simba Arati was my friend
By Mabonga Makhanu, July 1, 2026Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has revealed that he once considered Kisii Governor Simba Arati a close political ally but has since changed his view following the death of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Speaking during an interview with a local radio station on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, the Nairobi senator said he has realised that Arati is no longer on his side, forcing him to seek new political friends and allies.
“I thought Simba Arati was my friend, but it turns out he wasn’t. After Raila Odinga died, I realised things had changed. I now have to look for new allies,” Sifuna said ahead of the Linda Mwananchi tour in the Gusii region.
Sifuna endorses Onyonka
Sifuna’s remarks come just days after the burial of the mother of Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka, where he publicly expressed disappointment with Arati. He claimed he never imagined the Kisii governor would be among leaders involved in discussions to remove him from the ODM secretary-general position despite their long-standing political friendship.
In what appeared to be a direct political response, Sifuna went on to endorse Onyonka as his preferred candidate for the Kisii gubernatorial seat in the 2027 general election, setting the stage for a fierce political showdown with Arati.
Defending his endorsement, Sifuna said that since Arati had chosen to fight him politically, he had also decided to respond politically by backing Onyonka to challenge him for the governor’s seat.
Linda Mwananchi’s upcoming rally
His remarks come ahead of the Linda Mwananchi rallies scheduled to be held in Kisii and Nyamira counties. The rallies had initially been planned for May 31, 2026, but were postponed following the death of Onyonka’s mother.
Organisers defended the postponement, saying it would have been inappropriate to conduct political activities in the Gusii region while one of their senior leaders was mourning.
Sifuna also took a swipe at the changing political landscape in the Gusii region, expressing concern over what he described as ODM’s declining influence in an area that has traditionally been regarded as one of the party’s strongest support bases.
According to him, the region’s political shift toward the United Opposition has been accelerated by the leadership vacuum and internal challenges ODM has faced following the death of Raila Odinga.
He argued that the absence of the party’s long-time leader has weakened ODM’s grip in the region, allowing rival political formations to make significant inroads ahead of the 2027 elections.