{{Short description|Kenyan politician}} {{Use British English|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = The Honourable | name = Edwin Sifuna | honorific_suffix = | image = Sifuna in 2024.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Sifuna in 2024 | order = | office1 = Senator of Nairobi City County | party = ODM | term_start1 = 8 September 2022 | predecessor1 = Johnson Sakaja | term_end1 = | deputy1 = | office2 = | term_start2 = | term_end2 = | successor2 = | taoiseach = | constituency = | majority = | predecessor = | successor = | order3 = | office3 = | term_start3 = | term_end3 = | president3 = | predecessor3 = | successor3 = | order4 = | office4 = | term_start4 = | term_end4 = | president4 = | predecessor4 = | successor4 = | constituency4 = | majority4 = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|05|22|df=y}} | birth_place = Mumias, Kakamega District, Western Province, Kenya | birth_name = Edwin Watenya Sifuna | spouse = | relations = | children = | alma_mater = University of Nairobi {{small|(LL.B)}} <br /> Kenya School of Law {{small|(KSL. Dip Law)}} | occupation = Politician | profession = Lawyer | cabinet = | committees = | portfolio = | signature = | signature_alt = | website = {{URL|https://edwinsifuna.com}} | footnotes = | blank1 = Notable Awards | data1 = }}
'''Edwin Watenya Sifuna''' (born 22 May 1982) is a Kenyan politician and the current Senator of Nairobi County after being elected in the 2022 Kenyan general election.<ref>Citizen Digital, 14 Aug 2022 [https://www.citizen.digital/news/edwin-sifuna-is-nairobi-senator-elect-n303889/ Edwin Sifuna Floors Bishop Wanjiru To Win Nairobi Senator Seat]</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=List of elected senators|url=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/national/article/2001453250/list-of-elected-senators}}</ref> He is the deputy minority whip in the Senate of Kenya.<ref>The-Star, 15 Feb 2023 [https://www.the-star.co.ke/in-pictures/2023-02-15-sifuna-lands-deputy-whip-role-in-senate-as-azimio-lash-rebels// Sifuna lands deputy whip role in Senate as Azimio lash rebels]</ref> In 2018, he was appointed the Secretary General of the ODM party.<ref name="The Standard">{{ Cite news |last=Odenyo |first=Okello |title=ODM picks lawyer Sifuna as secretary general, replaces Ababu Namwamba |date=23 February 2018 |url=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001270886/lawyer-sifuna-is-new-odm-secretary-general |access-date=12 February 2026 |newspaper=The Standard |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230310155652/https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001270886/lawyer-sifuna-is-new-odm-secretary-general |archive-date=10 March 2023}}</ref>
==Early life and education== Sifuna started his formal education at Kakamega Township Primary School and later on joined Musingu High School, where he sat his KCSE exams. Thereafter, he pursued a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Nairobi, graduating in 2006. After receiving his postgraduate diploma from the Kenya School of Law in 2007, Sifuna did his pupilage at Kairu & McCourt Advocates in Nairobi and was thereafter admitted to the Roll of Advocates in 2008<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-28 |title=Edwin Sifuna Biography: Age, Family, Education, Career, and Rise in Kenyan Politics |url=https://www.k47.co.ke/edwin-sifuna-biography-age-family-education-career-and-rise-in-kenyan-politics/ |access-date=2026-02-02 |website=K47 Digital News |language=en-US}}</ref>.
==Political career==
In 2013, Sifuna became a member of CORD as a Technical/Advisory Committee Member for three years before joining NASA in the same capacity. In the 2017 Kenyan general election, Edwin Sifuna expressed his interest to vie<ref>The-Star, 12 Apr 2017 [https://www.the-star.co.ke/counties/western/2017-04-12-sifuna-makali-battle-for-odm-kanduyi-ticket/ Sifuna, Makali battle for ODM Kanduyi ticket - The Star]</ref> for the Kanduyi Constituency Member of Parliament seat on an ODM Party ticket. He was, however, not successful during the primaries in April where he lost to John Makali.
With only about two months to the general elections in August, ODM fronted<ref>All Africa 6 May 2017 [https://allafrica.com/stories/201705060097.html/ Why ODM Replaced Nairobi Senatorial Candidate]</ref> Sifuna as their preferred candidate to contest the Nairobi senatorial seat<ref>Venas News, 1 Jun 2017 [https://venasnews.co.ke/2017/06/01/edwin-sifuna-and-johnson-sakajawho-will-win-nairobi-senatorial-seathere-is-the-answer/ Edwin Sifuna and Johnson Sakaja, Who Will Win Nairobi Senatorial Seat?]</ref> then held by Mike Sonko. He polled 674,056 votes (42.51%) against winner Johnson Sakaja who got 811,826 votes (51.20%).
On 23 February 2018, Sifuna was picked as the Secretary-General of ODM<ref>The-Star, 23 Dec 2021 [https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/big-read/2021-12-23-edwin-sifunas-rise-from-high-school-cheerleader/ Edwin Sifuna's rise from high school cheerleader to ODM]</ref> party to replace Ababu Namwamba.<ref name="The Standard" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=NTV Kenya: ODM removes Edwin Sifuna as party’s secretary-general |url=https://ntvkenya.co.ke/news/odm-removes-edwin-sifuna-as-party-secretary-general/ |access-date=2026-02-13 |website=NTV Kenya |language=en-GB}}</ref> On 11 February 2026, he was removed as Secretary General by the National Executive Committee (NEC) in absentia.<ref name="Daily Nation">{{ Cite news |last1=Kitimo |first1=Anthony |last2=Nambeka |first2=Jurgen |title=ODM kicks out Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna |date=11 February 2026 |access-date=12 February 2026 |url=https://nation.africa/kenya/news/politics/odm-kicks-out-secretary-general-edwin-sifuna--5356056 |newspaper=Daily Nation |archive-url=https://archive.today/20260212082611/https://nation.africa/kenya/news/politics/odm-kicks-out-secretary-general-edwin-sifuna--5356056 |archive-date=12 February 2026 |url-status=live}}</ref> Sifuna petitioned to the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT), which on 12 February, ruled to temporarily prevent the Orange Democratic Movement from executing his removal.<ref>{{ Cite news |last1=Wangui |first1=Joseph |last2=Kiplagat |first2=Sam |title=Relief for Sifuna as tribunal halts ODM ouster plan |date=12 February 2026 |url=https://nation.africa/kenya/news/politics/relief-for-sifuna-as-tribunal-halts-odm-ouster-plan--5357084 |newspaper=Daily Nation |access-date=12 February 2026 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20260212160439/https://nation.africa/kenya/news/politics/relief-for-sifuna-as-tribunal-halts-odm-ouster-plan--5357084 |archive-date=12 February 2026 |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2019, he was elected to serve as the vice-chair of the Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD).
=== Senate === In the 2022 Kenyan general election, Sifuna once again <ref>The Standard, 16 Dec 2021 [https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/politics/article/2001431980/edwin-sifuna-to-run-for-nairobi-senator-in-2022/ ODM’s Edwin Sifuna to vie for Nairobi Senate seat in 2022]</ref><ref>Capital FM, 16 Dec 2021 [https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2021/12/sifuna-relocates-to-nairobi-polling-centre-as-he-declares-senatorial-bid/ Sifuna Declares Senatorial Bid, Rules Out Candidacy In Native Bungoma]</ref> contested the Nairobi Senatorial seat.<ref>Nation, 16 Dec 2021 [https://nation.africa/kenya/counties/nairobi/edwin-sifuna-declares-second-bid-for-nairobi-senate-seat-3655020/ Edwin Sifuna declares second bid for Nairobi Senate seat]</ref> He garnered 716,876 to clinch the seat<ref>People Daily, 14 Aug 2022 [https://www.pd.co.ke/august-9/edwin-sifuna-wins-nairobi-senator-race-144683/Edwin Sifuna wins Nairobi senator race]</ref><ref>The-Star, 14 Aug 2022 [https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2022-08-14-sifuna-wins-nairobi-senator-seat/ ODM's Sifuna wins Nairobi senator seat]</ref> and is now serving the people of Nairobi as their senator. In February 2023, he assumed the role of deputy minority whip in the Senate.<ref>Africa Press, 15 Feb 2023. [https://www.africa-press.net/kenya/all-news/sifuna-lands-deputy-whip-role-in-senate-as-azimio-lash-rebels/ Sifuna lands deputy whip role in Senate as Azimio lash rebels]</ref>
==Personal life== Edwin Sifuna was born on 22 May 1982, at St. Mary's Hospital in Mumias, Kakamega County. His father was a civil servant with the defunct Municipal Council and his mother, a now-retired teacher from Moi Primary School in Bungoma. He has two brothers and two sisters. He is married<ref>Standard, 22 Jul 2015 [https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/entertainment/county-coast/article/2000169836/my-future-wife-snubbed-me-in-campus-high-court-advocate-edwin-sifuna/ My future wife snubbed me in campus- High Court Advocate Edwin Sifuna]</ref> and has a daughter.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.parliament.go.ke/the-senate/sen-sifuna-edwin-watenya/ Sen Sifuna Edwin Watenya @Parliament] *[https://info.mzalendo.com/person/sifuna-edwin-watenya/ Sifuna Edwin Watenya @Mzalendo] *[https://lsk.or.ke/about-lsk/council-members/current-council-members/edwin-sifuna/ Edwin Sifuna @LSK]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sifuna, Edwin}} Category:1982 births Category:Living people Category:Members of the Senate of Kenya Category:Orange Democratic Movement politicians Category:21st-century Kenyan lawyers Category:University of Nairobi alumni Category:Local politicians in Kenya Category:Kenya School of Law alumni Category:Kenyan Luhya people Category:Members of the 13th Parliament of Kenya