Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) Member of Parliament, David Ole Sankok clashed after the MP made unwelcomed remarks targeting Azimio leader Raila Odinga.
Sankok commented on Odinga’s bid for the African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson role which he declared on February 15, 2024, terming it as deportation if it were to come true.
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Senator Sifuna however did not take the deportation remarks made by the MP lightly, as he called him out during his speech.
The two were speaking on February 22, 2024, during the burial of Narok Town Member of County Assembly (MCA) Lucas Ole Kudate, who passed on last week.
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When Sankok took to the podium, he first thanked the Azimio coalition for supporting his nomination to the East African parliament.
Sankok Pledges to campaign for Raila
“I will do my best and speak to leaders and heads of states all over Africa so that we can deport Raila Odinga to go to Addis Ababa,” he said.
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Sankok further went on to make a comparison of Odinga’s bid to his own nomination at the EALA.
According to him, the nomination forced him to leave local politics, which he said will happen to Odinga if he ascends to the powerful AUC role.
“I will push the agenda so that just as I left local politics may also happen to the Rt Honorable Raila Odinga and that you know what it shall do to our 2027 political equation,” he added.
Also Read: UDA Takes Stance on Raila’s Bid for AU Job
However, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party Secretary General Edwin Sifuna did not take the deportation remarks lightly.
“My friend Sankok, you said that I voted for you to go to Arusha what are you doing in the village?” Sifuna posed as the crowd burst into laughter.
The Nairobi Senator while directly referring to the EALA MP noted that he voted for him at the East African parliament for other reasons such as fighting for the Maasai community.
Sifuna claimed that Sankok was sleeping on his job as he had never addressed the harassment suffered by his community at the Kenya -Tanzania border.
“Because you heard that Sifuna came to Narok, you are telling us you’ll send Baba to Addis Ababa. Baba is going nowhere,” Sifuna added.
AU Chairmanship bid
The former nominated MP had earlier backed Raila’s bid for the AUC role during an interview.
He termed the ODM leader as the best candidate Kenya could offer to spearhead Pan-Africanism.
Also Read: Salary, Benefits and Powers Raila Stands to Enjoy as AU Boss
“In terms of Pan Africanism, Raila Odinga is in a better position to lead Africa more than any other Kenyan. “Raila Odinga is the only soul alive that can carry the aspirations of our Pan-African forefathers of uniting Africa into the United States of Africa,” Sankok said.
Odinga has also received endorsement from various quarters including the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.
Speaking during a press conference on Saturday, February 17, UDA secretary general Cleophas Malala announced that the party had formally endorsed Odinga’s bid for the AUC job.
According to Malala, Odinga played a significant role in the fight against imperialism across the African continent making him the best pick for the job.
Raila declared his bid to vie for the role in a press statement on February 15, flanked by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo who endorsed him for the job.
