Edwin Sifuna Recounts Disappointment by Jimi Wanjigi’s Alleged Promise to Fund 2017 Senatorial Race in Nairobi
Edwin Sifuna, a lawyer, laughed as he recounted his unsuccessful 2017 Senate run in Nairobi.
Sifuna, the Orange Democratic Movement’s (ODM) secretary general, gained the Senate seat in 2022 after learning his lessons properly.
In 2017, Sifuna lost the campaign for an ODM ticket to run for the Kanduyi Constituency Member of the National Assembly seat to David Makali.
A group of party leaders contacted him about running for the Nairobi senatorial seat, promising to assist him win the ticket that party leader Raila Odinga had handed to Chapia Bukachi.
“They told me they wanted to change the candidate and needed me to replace him because he was not popular. I told them to find a way of bringing the tickets to me because I had lost faith in them and did not have the money for another political duel,” Sifuna told Mic Cheque podcast.
He said that businessman and politician Jimi Wanjigi was present at the meeting and pledged to fund his campaign, which he found exciting.
“You’re talking about money? That is why I am here. He told me to create a budget. I sat down with my team and factored in billboards, vehicles and other campaign materials and arrived at KSh 45 million. We rounded it off to KSh 50 million,” Sifuna recounted.
He had no idea he’d be in for a nasty awakening when his campaign budget plan fell flat.
“I took the budget proposal to him at his restaurant, and he received it and told me he would go through it. In the meantime, he gave me KSh 100,000 for fuel. That’s the last time I heard from him. He gave me KSh 100,000, and that’s when it all ended,” added Sifuna.
The senator said that other coalition partners’ refusal to remove their candidates from the campaign exacerbated his concerns.
“Another problem was fighting for the ticket in court. We went to the Court of Appeal. Everyone abandoned me and I owe the victory and clearance to vie to my lawyer Duncan Anzala. I got the ticket six weeks before the election. I did my best. I did my best and got 700,000 votes versus Sakaja’s over 800,000 votes,” he said.
In 2022, the politician outperformed his nearest competitor, Margaret Wanjiru of the United Democratic Alliance.
He received 716,651 votes against Wanjiru’s 524,091 votes to succeed Sakaja, who won the gubernatorial election.
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Edwin Sifuna Recounts Disappointment by Jimi Wanjigi’s Alleged Promise to Fund 2017 Senatorial Race in Nairobi
