Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna on Saturday August 24 held an engagement session with the Kenyan diaspora community in Houston, Texas, sparking a wave of mixed reactions from Kenyans online.
Well known Sugar’s Restaurant in Houston, and owner Laban Opande hosted the event.
While many attendees appreciated his willingness to address their concerns, critics questioned his commitment to the common citizen back home.
In a statement made on X, Sifuna, who is also the Secretary General of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), revealed that he spent 5 hours answering questions from the Houston diaspora community.
Furthermore, the senator expressed admiration for the dedication of Kenyans in the diaspora particularly regarding matters concerning governance in Kenya.
Kenyans hapa Houston don’t play. 5 straight hours fielding questions ???????? yani maswali maswali. Diaspora folks care greatly for Kenya and want those of us back home to do our best for the Country. All in all I had a wonderful time. Deeply grateful to all of you for having me.… pic.twitter.com/bMks1qX06W
— Edwin Sifuna (@edwinsifuna) August 25, 2024
Sifuna’s statement regarding the Houston engagement
“All in all, I had a wonderful time. Deeply grateful to all of you for having me. Kesho tuonane Seattle!” – Sifuna
Despite the challenging discussions, Sifuna described the experience as wonderful and thanked the Houston community for their warm reception.
Additionally, the ODM lawmaker hinted at his next engagement with Kenyans in the Diaspora indicating that he would be headed to Seattle as his US tour progresses.
Also Read: Inside Push by Kenyans in Diaspora to Change Law Categorizing Them as Foreigners
Sifuna’s visit to the US was prompted by an invitation to represent ODM, at this year’s International Leaders Forum (ILF) in Chicago, Illinois.
The event, organized by the National Democratic Institute (NDI), took place besides the Democratic Convention in Chicago, from August 19, 2024, to August 22, 2024
Honored to be invited by @NDI to the 2024 International Leaders Forum happening on the sidelines of the Democratic Convention in Chicago from the 19th of August. I will be representing my party, @TheODMparty .
— Edwin Sifuna (@edwinsifuna) August 12, 2024
Mixed Reactions Regarding Sifuna’s Houston Visit
Sifuna’s outreach in Houston has not gone without reactions from Kenyans online, with some praising him for his commitment to good governance, while others criticized him for perceived inconsistencies in his policies.
One user, Kihoto, criticized him, saying, “You’re roaming the globe courtesy of public funds and still see yourself as a fighter for the common man? You have become part of the exploitive cog in our country. Those you’re addressing in Houston are just Kenyans in name only. They are Americans.”
“Thank you for coming to H-town, it was an honor to meet you and we really appreciate you taking time to talk with us and candidly answer our questions,” said tomero tomero.
“Come over to Oregon, Kenyans here want to know why is opposition siding with government? Why you dropped your demands i.e. dropping housing levy, shif, varsity funding model & joined govt unconditionally? Or it’s your turn to also eat.” – Carry Sang
Other Reactions
Another critic, Joseph Kimonyi expressed disappointment in Sifuna’s political trajectory, stating, “They just wonder what happened to you, from being a champion of good governance to a sycophant and collaborator of UDA. They can smell the betrayal.”
James Mwadeghu added to the criticism, highlighting a perceived disconnect between Sifuna’s engagement with Kenyans abroad and his responsibilities to constituents back home.
Also Read: Sifuna Reveals How Ruto Shortchanged Raila in Picking ODM Members into Cabinet
“Our politicians are very hypocritical. You will mingle with well-off Kenyans abroad and spend five hours of an engagement session yet back home you would never do this with your constituents. Kazi ni kuuliza ‘Tufanye’ on social media.” he remarked,
As Sifuna continues his tour, moving to Seattle next, the reactions from his Houston engagement reflect the ongoing tensions within Kenyan politics and the expectations of citizens regarding their leaders’ accountability and commitment to governance.
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