By Anderson Ojwang
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has moved to court to challenge his ouster by the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) National Executive Council (NEC) on Wednesday.
In solidarity with the sacked Secretary General, East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Winnie Odinga, daughter of the late former party leader Raila Odinga, joined a group of legislators and Siaya Governor James Orengo at a press conference today.
Winnie had earlier written on her Facebook page, “It is not well,” before appearing alongside Sifuna, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Vihiga Senator Geoffrey Osotsi, Governor Orengo and other leaders.
Sifuna termed his removal unconstitutional and a travesty of justice, saying he was ousted without being given an opportunity to defend himself against the allegations.
“We have moved to the court and we hope to get justice in the court. Already our lawyers have moved to court. Let’s meet at the court,” he said.
Siaya Governor James Orengo argued that Sifuna legally remains the party Secretary General, claiming those who removed him lack legal standing.
“How can you remove a substantive party secretary general while your appointment was an illegality? The holders are in office illegally and do not have locus standi,” he said.
On Wednesday, in a brief statement, ODM NEC announced it had relieved Sifuna of his position as Secretary General and party spokesperson with immediate effect.
The move followed a protracted power struggle between the faction allied to party leader Dr. Oburu Oginga and Sifuna over the proposed pre-election coalition pact with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
In a statement, ODM said:
“Party National Executive Committee meeting in Mombasa today has resolved to relieve Secretary General Edwin Sifuna of his responsibilities with immediate effect. Effectively, Catherine Omanyo, who is one of the deputy secretary generals, will act in this position until a substantive holder of the office is elected.”
Earlier, Dr. Oburu had maintained that ODM is a members’ party governed by its constitution.
“The minority will have their say but the majority will have their way and so those with dissenting voices must respect the wishes of the majority. Democracy must be guided,” he said.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi had also called for Sifuna’s removal, arguing that it was necessary to pave the way for a coalition alliance with President Ruto.
Meanwhile, Mama Ida Odinga recently appealed to party leaders to preserve Raila Odinga’s legacy and avoid internal wrangles that could weaken the party.
“It is my wish that we can preserve the party in his honor as a matter of service to our country. I want to appeal to those Baba left in the leadership of the party to reflect deeply and sincerely on his dreams for the party and for our country,” she said.
Earlier, Migori Senator Eddy Oketch had petitioned party organs to take disciplinary action against Sifuna over his stand on the broad-based alliance.
Interestingly, in a previous meeting, Oburu had described Sifuna as a principled and democratic leader.
“I met with my friend, Senator Edwin Sifuna, the Secretary General of the ODM Party this morning. He remains a sober and principled voice, embodying the democratic ideals we believe in as a party,” he wrote on his X handle.
Oburu added at the time:
“We are one. We are united as the ODM Party. As a leader, I believe we must encourage everyone to speak their mind. Differences of opinion do not mean division. Great parties—like ODM—grow through robust debate and unique challenges.”
Recently, a section of ODM legislators alarmed by what they termed as self-cannibalisation in the party urged Oburu to convene an urgent meeting to contain the escalating crisis.
The MPs, led by ODM Vice National Chairman Dr. Otiende Amollo, said the wrangles were worrying and amounted to a betrayal of the party’s founding ideals.
In a joint statement, they said:
“It is testament to how much we miss the wisdom and iconic leadership of our departed Rt Hon Raila Odinga, that divisive rhetoric has taken over our politics, without restraint.”
Sifuna has dismissed attempts to remove him from the party, arguing that those behind the move lack the capacity to eject him.
He claimed the plot to oust him stems from his opposition to efforts by a section of party officials to support President Ruto’s second term.
The fallout intensified after a recent television interview in which Sifuna said ODM was receiving parallel funding for the Linda Grounds engagements.
In the interview, Sifuna maintained that the Kilifi Central Management Committee had resolved that the party engage in coalition talks broadly, not exclusively with UDA.
“The resolution of the Kilifi meeting is clear and specific. It said the party to embark on coalition formation with other political formations in the country. There is nowhere it talked about UDA as the only formation. We expect to engage all the political formations in the country with a view of a possible alliance,” he said.
He further stated that ODM was prepared to field a presidential candidate in 2027, quoting the late Raila Odinga:
“Who told you ODM will not have a presidential candidate in 2027?”
Sifuna also maintained that Dr. Oburu and his team were serving in an interim capacity pending ratification by the National Delegates Conference.
In response, Oburu dismissed the claims, insisting that party officials were serving substantively.
“We want to state categorically that all party officials are serving substantively and supported by the party organs’ resolutions. However, the interview also contained assertions that misled the public regarding the legitimacy of certain party organs and office holders. ODM has, since its inception, demonstrated fidelity to its constitution and to the rule of law. The same principle has put every individual in their rightful positions, including that of Senator Sifuna,” he said.
On the issue of funding, Sifuna claimed that the resources used in the ongoing Linda Grounds rallies were not from official party accounts.
“The money and the resources you see being spent on the ODM rallies called Linda Ground — the monies do not come from ODM headquarters. For me, I can only account for the monies because I am a signatory to the bank accounts, and Timothy Bosire is a signatory to the bank accounts. The last money we expended as ODM officially was for the celebration in Mombasa and it was a fraction of what you saw there,” he said.
The legal battle now sets the stage for what could be a defining moment in ODM’s internal power struggle ahead of the 2027 General Election.
