Edwin Sifuna breaks silence after ODM NEC Move to oust him as secretary-general

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has rejected the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) National Executive Committee’s decision purporting to remove him as Secretary-General, terming the move illegal and unprocedural.

In a statement issued Thursday morning, Sifuna said the announcement made by a section of the party’s NEC in Mombasa had no constitutional basis and violated principles of natural justice.

“Let me state, without fear of contradiction, that this action is illegal, unprocedural, and a blatant violation of the ODM Constitution,” he said.

Sifuna insisted he had not been informed of any allegations against him, nor invited to respond to complaints of indiscipline, insubordination or incompetence.

“At no time have I been informed of any allegations against me… Consequently, no lawful organ of the party has invited me for any hearing,” he added.

In his address, Sifuna suggested the fallout stemmed from his opposition to any internal efforts to support President William Ruto’s re-election.

“My only ‘crime’ is that I oppose any plans and schemes within the party to support President William Ruto's re-election,” he stated, maintaining that Kenya cannot afford another five years under the current administration.

His remarks lay bare the ideological and strategic rift that has been simmering within ODM following shifting political alignments at the national level.

Sifuna, who says he is now in his ninth year as Secretary-General, making him the longest-serving office holder in that position, anchored much of his defence on loyalty to the late Raila Odinga.

He argued that, regardless of past political deals Raila struck with different regimes, the former Prime Minister “would never have allowed his beloved party to be turned into a mere appendage of State House.”

Sifuna accused sections of the party leadership of desecrating Raila’s legacy by bypassing due process in recent leadership changes.

He cited a recent Gazette notice that sought public input on party leadership changes, claiming timelines had already lapsed by the time it was published, an indication, he said, of procedural irregularities.

The senator revealed that party trustees, Mama Ida Odinga and Ruth Odinga, had attempted to broker unity within the movement ahead of the National Delegates Conference (NDC), but alleged that those currently steering the party had declined dialogue.

“This is not about positions. It is about principle,” he said, pledging to challenge what he termed illegality in the courts of law and in the court of public opinion.

He called on ODM members to remain calm while asserting that he remains both a loyal member and the legitimate Secretary-General of the party.

“We will challenge every illegality… Surrender is not an option,” he declared.

The dispute now sets the stage for a potentially protracted legal and political battle within one of Kenya’s most influential parties.

While the NEC resolved to relieve Sifuna of his duties, questions persist about whether the decision requires ratification by higher party organs, including the National Governing Council or the National Delegates Conference.

Sifuna’s defiance signals that the matter is far from settled. With internal divisions sharpening and Raila Odinga’s legacy repeatedly invoked by both sides, ODM finds itself at a defining moment, balancing unity, constitutional order and its broader political future.

As the dust settles, what began as an internal leadership reshuffle may evolve into a larger struggle over the party’s ideological direction and independence in Kenya’s shifting political landscape.