Orange Democratic Movement party Secretary General Edwin Sifuna returned to Kilifi on Saturday, months after publicly clashing with Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa.
In May this year, Sifuna was humiliated by Jumwa after a disagreement in a funeral to the father of Mombasa Deputy Governor Dr William Kingi.
“We are not here for ODM politics but to condole with the bereaved. We shall not allow this; respect the Mijikenda.
“Find another platform and speak about issues relating to ODM. We are here to mourn the dead and not politics,” she had said amid cheers from the mourners.
But a resilient Sifuna led ODM campaigns in Ganda ward ahead of October 17th by-election, which would see Reuben Katana taking on Abdul Omar.
Omar, a close ally of Jumwa, lost the seat following a nullification by the court. He ditched ODM to run as an Independent candidate. Katana joined ODM.
"We are in Ganda Ward, Malindi Constituency, Kilifi County to drum up support for @TheODMparty Candidate Reuben Katana in the upcoming poll. Residents go to the polls Thursday next week and we hope they will choose wisely," wrote Sifuna.
The polls will be an acid test for the ODM party which is increasingly facing rebellion from a section of leaders from the Coast. Jumwa supports DP William Ruto at the moment.
In 2017, ODM scooped all elective seats in Kilifi County, with Amason Kingi winning gubernatorial seat. ODM leader Raila Odinga enjoys fanatic following from the region.