Former Nyeri Town Member of Parliament (MP) Ngunjiri Wambugu has accused the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) of deliberately splitting its ranks to benefit from both government and opposition positions.

Taking to his official Facebook account on Thursday, February 5, 2026, Wambugu described the party’s strategy as a calculated political manoeuvre.

Access to resources

He further said that while one faction of ODM maintains a visible opposition role, another conveniently aligns with the government to access resources and influence.

“ODM is doing what it’s always done when ’working with govt’. It splits into 2’ conveniently & has 2 sides fighting each other. One side maintains its opposition presence, the other side benefits from govt,” Wambugu stated.

He added that this approach allows the party to “have its cake and eat it too”, highlighting the clever, albeit controversial, nature of the strategy.

“It’s called having your cake & eating it too. Very smart,” he stated.

Ruth Odinga raises concerns

His remarks come hours after the late ODM party leader Raila Odinga’s sister and Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga came out in defence of Nairobi Senator and ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna from attacks following his recent TV interview, where he questioned the source of funding for the party’s high-profile Linda Ground rallies.

Taking to her official Facebook page on Thursday, February 5, 2026, Ruth criticised members of the Orange party who have labelled Sifuna a “rebel” for publicly raising concerns over the management and financing of the party’s recent massive public events.

She highlighted that Sifuna had openly admitted on national television that ODM had not spent any funds on campaigns that clearly run into millions of shillings, fuelling questions about whether governors, MPs, or undisclosed philanthropists are financing the rallies, and what, if anything, they stand to gain.

Ruth Odinga also raised concerns about the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between President William Ruto and her late brother Raila, signed in March 2025, stating that its implementation has been slow and lacking political goodwill.

She questioned why Sifuna’s declaration that the MoU is effectively “dead” is being treated as treasonous.

“In recent months, Nairobi Senator and ODM Secretary-General Hon. Edwin Sifuna – alongside a group of party members and legislators frequently labeled as ‘rebels’ – has been at the center of a deepening political rift. This friction stems from the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) established between President William Ruto and the late former Prime Minister, Hon. Raila Odinga, in March 2025,” Ruth stated.

“But it is the attacks following his recent interview on Citizen TV that have got me wondering how fast political allegiances can shift. He questions the very things we have been questioning despite the online attacks by (hired?) bloggers.”