'RUBISH, ' SIFUNA BLASTS CHERARGEI OVER TWO TERMS REMARKS

A heated exchange erupted in the Senate on July 22, 2025, when Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna took on his Nandi counterpart, Senator Samson Cherargei, over what he described as an attempt to politicize parliamentary proceedings.

Tempers flared after Cherargei, while making his contribution on the floor, referred to President William Ruto as “a man of two terms”—a comment that instantly stirred murmurs and visible discomfort among Senators present.

“The event was graced by none other than His Excellency President William Ruto. A man of two terms,” Cherargei stated, prompting an immediate reaction from the Speaker.

“Senator Cherargei, there is a point of order. Please sit down,” the Speaker interjected, halting his remarks.

Rising on a point of order, Senator Sifuna expressed outrage, accusing Cherargei of turning the chamber into a political theatre with unverified statements.

“Madam Speaker, the rules of this House require that statements be approved by your office and, when they come on the floor, they be read as approved as is,” Sifuna said, sharply calling out his colleague.

He demanded that the Speaker clarify whether the controversial “two-term” phrase had been included in the statement submitted for approval.

“Can we confirm from the text that was approved by the Speaker whether the question of one term or two terms was included in that statement by the Senator of Nandi? Because this is not a place for jokes, Honourable Speaker. We are not here to play games,” he pressed on.

Visibly irritated, Sifuna scolded Cherargei for using the Senate floor to advance political narratives, arguing that the chamber was meant for serious legislative debate—not campaign slogans.

“Let him confirm to us, and Speaker, you can confirm whether that word he has used is in that statement. If he wants to make his own statements, he can go to rallies out there in Kapsabet. But here, we are here for serious business. You cannot waste our time listening to rubbish,” he said with growing intensity.

The incident has since stirred conversations beyond Senate, with the phrase “two-term” gaining traction in public discourse. In street lingo, it's already morphed into the slang tutam, while “one-term” has cheekily become wantam, both popular among Kenyans weighing in on the future of President Ruto’s political journey.

Aside from Senate, Sifuna has lately been vocal against President Ruto's regime despite him being part of the broad-based umbrella – under ODM. He recently uttered a controversial statement urging the President to step down in favour of the ODM leader Raila Odinga come 2027.

The Tuesday unfolding seemingly exhibits a growing rift between both sides of the pact.