'ODM B' to 'DCP'? Inside the Plot to Court Sifuna as Gachagua Opens Door, Havi Drops Direct Invite

 – Hours after the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) axe fell on Edwin Sifuna, the Nairobi Senator has found himself at the centre of a high-stakes political courtship. While the ousted Secretary General remains publicly non-committal, the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) has rolled out the red carpet, with its top leadership issuing direct invitations for him to jump ship.

Havi: "Fools cannot tolerate intelligent men"
Senior Counsel Nelson Havi became the first opposition figure to publicly recruit Sifuna. In a scathing post on X on Wednesday evening, Havi did not mince words.

"Edwin Sifuna, welcome to DCP. Fools cannot tolerate intelligent men," Havi wrote .

Although Havi did not name the individuals he referred to as "fools," the timing—minutes after ODM’s NEC announced Sifuna’s removal—left no doubt about his target. Havi, who is seeking the Westlands Parliamentary seat, has positioned DCP as a refuge for politicians disenchanted with the emerging broad-based government between ODM and UDA .

But the more significant overture comes from DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua himself. Speaking just one day before Sifuna’s ouster, the former Deputy President laid out a deliberate strategy to absorb the Sifuna-led rebel faction.

In an interview with K24 TV on Tuesday, Gachagua explicitly referred to the group as "ODM B" —a deliberate designation that acknowledges their legitimacy while distinguishing them from the Oburu Oginga-led mainstream party .

(If these people from ODM B bring forth a candidate, whether it is Omtatah, let them come. We will sit down, consult among ourselves who has sufficient popularity to send this person [Ruto] home. We will agree.)

Gachagua went further, offering a significant concession: if ODM B fronts a strong presidential candidate—he specifically named Siaya Governor James Orengo—the opposition principals currently nursing presidential ambitions would be willing to shelve their own aspirations and rally behind that candidate .
This is not a casual alliance. It is a formal recognition that Gachagua views Sifuna and his allies not as renegades to be dismissed, but as critical building blocks for a united opposition front in 2027.

Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu, a close Gachagua ally, has offered a more explosive interpretation of events. Speaking on Thursday morning, Nyutu alleged that Sifuna’s removal had little to do with ODM’s internal processes and everything to do with President William Ruto.

Nyutu recalled a moment during the burial of Raila Odinga’s bodyguard when Ruto publicly warned Sifuna against attacking him. According to Nyutu, the President promised to "call a meeting" to have Sifuna disciplined.

"That meeting was held yesterday, just as he promised," Nyutu charged .
If Nyutu’s account is accurate, Sifuna’s removal was not merely an internal house-cleaning exercise, but the execution of a presidential directive—an allegation that, if proven, could significantly deepen the political fault lines.
The DCP Calculus: Why Sifuna?

Why is DCP pursuing Sifuna so aggressively? The answer lies in the arithmetic of 2027.

Sifuna commands significant following in Nairobi—a county with over 2.4 million registered voters. More critically, he embodies the youthful, urban, anti-status-quo energy that DCP, currently perceived as a Mt Kenya-centric vehicle, desperately needs to acquire national appeal.

Sifuna also brings the ODM brand equity. By absorbing "ODM B," Gachagua effectively acquires a ready-made foothold in Raila Odinga’s traditional bastions—Nyanza, Western, the urban informal settlements—without having to build grassroots structures from scratch.
The Elephant in the Room: Orengo
However, any Sifuna-DCP marriage faces a significant complicating factor: Siaya Governor James Orengo.
Orengo has repeatedly insisted that ODM must field its own presidential candidate in 2027. "Nobody can dare auction the ODM party," Orengo declared recently. "This party will not be swallowed by any other party" .
While Gachagua has offered to back an ODM B candidate, it remains unclear whether Orengo—a veteran constitutional lawyer and one of the most respected figures in the opposition—would accept a presidential ticket under a party led by Gachagua, particularly given the historical political rivalries between the two.
Sifuna has remained publicly silent on the overtures. His official schedule remains fixed on the Linda Mwananchi rally scheduled for Sunday in Kitengela, which will feature Orengo, Babu Owino, and other rebel MPs .

Whether that rally serves as a launch pad for a formal realignment—or merely a show of defiance—will determine whether ODM B transforms from a faction within a party to a formidable component of a new opposition coalition.

For now, Sifuna is keeping his cards close. But the invitations are on the table. DCP has made its move. The ball is in his court