Senator Cleophas Malala has flagged a viral letter alleged to have been sent to party members urging them to avoid appearing in television interviews alongside Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna as fake.
The widely circulated letter, purportedly from the UDA party, sparked controversy across Kenya’s political landscape.
The letter, bearing a UDA official letterhead and other identity features used by the ruling party on its documents, quickly went viral with a section of members of the public taking it for the truth.
In the background of the letter was a discussion that has been around for a while about how UDA-allied leaders struggle to defend the Kenya Kwanza government’s agenda in TV debates where the Nairobi Senator is a participant.
“To avoid further embarrassing episodes, the party is now pulling the plug on the appearance of its members alongside Senator Sifuna in any show, regardless of the media house hosting it,” read part of the letter.
It claimed that there was a media conspiracy aimed at portraying UDA members as intellectually deficient by challenging them with complex questions.
“It has become increasingly clear that there is a media conspiracy in Kenya intended to paint the UDA party as a home of intellectually challenged people, by pitting our members against Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna during TV talk shows,” further read the fake letter.
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Malala Addresses UDA Letter Circulating Around
Upon closer examination, however, several aspects of the letter suggested it was false.
For instance, it included a phone number at the bottom starting with Djibouti’s country code (+253…) that does not align with typical Kenyan phone numbers (+254), raising suspicions about its authenticity.
Additionally, the letter’s directive to UDA members to decline debate invitations if Senator Sifuna is participating seems strategically dubious as it would imply a lack of confidence from the UDA side to articulate its positions effectively.
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UDA Members Debating with Sifuna Earlier
Senator Edwin Sifuna has been a regular panelist on Citizen TV’s Day Break show where the hosts pit members of the two opposing factions to debate current affairs touching on government policies and other politically related topics.
But Sifuna, who is known for his eloquence and brave demeanor, has stood out in the debates and is deemed in the eyes of some Kenyans as an astute debater even against some seasoned legislators.
On their part, UDA-aligned MPs have faced criticism for their performance in debates, with figures like Boni Khalwale struggling to defend some unpopular policies including the controversial Affordable Housing and Finance Act.
On April 27th, 2023, for example, Sifuna differed with his Kakamega counterpart, Khalwale, over the roles of senators.
Sifuna lashed out at Khalwale, who, claimed that Kenya Kwanza senators who voted against the amendment of the Division of Revenue Bill acted in the interest of the nation.
