The Bungoma house that sparked a political storm around Edwin Sifuna

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has found himself at the centre of a heated public debate after images of his Bungoma village home circulated online, prompting criticism from political rivals who questioned why a senior public official would own what they described as a modest residence.

The discussion gained momentum following remarks made during the Linda Mwananchi movement rally in Bungoma County, where some leaders suggested that Sifuna’s home did not reflect the status of the Senator representing Kenya’s capital city.

Speaking on Citizen TV’s The Explainer on Tuesday night, Sifuna responded directly to the criticism, saying he was proud of the house and had deliberately chosen not to use public office for personal enrichment.

The controversy emerged after politicians allied to the opposition publicly questioned the size and appearance of Sifuna’s rural home.

Among those who criticised him were National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed and Mumias East MP Peter Salasya.

Salasya went further by posting images of his own residence on social media while mocking Sifuna’s home, turning the issue into a wider online debate about wealth, leadership and public office.

Supporters of Sifuna argued that the criticism unfairly equated effective leadership with visible displays of wealth.

According to Sifuna, the Bungoma house was built in 2015, several years before he became Nairobi Senator.

During the interview, he said the home was not a recent project funded through public office but a personal investment completed more than a decade ago.

“Kenyans must know that I’m very proud of that house. I built that house in 2015,” Sifuna said.

This clarification was central to his defence, as critics had implied that the home reflected his current financial status as a senior politician.

The residence is located in Bungoma County, Sifuna’s rural home area in western Kenya.

Although the exact village was not disclosed during the interview, the property has been repeatedly referred to as his Bungoma village home, and it became a talking point during political events held in the county over the weekend.

Sifuna also addressed claims that the home represented his primary residence.

He stated that he spends very little time there, estimating that he stays at the property for a maximum of two weeks each year.

“On average I spend a maximum of two weeks out of a year in that house when I take my daughter home for Christmas,” he explained.

The Senator’s remarks suggested that the house functions mainly as a family and holiday home rather than his day-to-day residence.

Sifuna rejected the idea that a leader’s worth should be measured by the size of their home.

“I saw some people saying that I have a very small house, that I should have a bigger house because I’m the Senator of Nairobi. They’ve called me the poorest Senator from Nairobi,” he said.

He added that while public office can create opportunities for illicit enrichment, he had consciously chosen a different path and had never been attracted to opulence.