National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has clarified the circumstances surrounding the removal of Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna as the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General, saying the decision is still subject to internal party ratification.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV on Wednesday, February 11, Mbadi stated that Sifuna has not been formally removed but has instead been recommended for removal by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
“Sifuna has not been removed; he has been recommended for removal by the NEC, and in his place, the moment you recommend for removal, then you put an acting until it is ratified,” Mbadi said.
His remarks come hours after ODM announced that Sifuna had been relieved of his duties, with Deputy Secretary General Catherine Omanyo appointed in an acting capacity pending further party processes.
Mbadi outlined the constitutional procedure required before the decision becomes final, noting that the matter must move through the party’s established organs.
“First, it should go to the National Governing Council, then it goes to the National Delegates Conference (NDC). The National Governing Council can appoint the acting Secretary General, who should effectively execute the mandate of the SG, awaiting the ratification by the NDC,” he explained.
The CS maintained that the party is operating within its legal framework and dismissed claims of irregularity in the process.
“I am happy that at least the party organs are now acting; they have acted within the law and the constitution of the party,” Mbadi added.
The developments mark a significant moment for ODM, one of Kenya’s major political parties, which has recently faced internal tensions over leadership and direction.
Sifuna, who also serves as Nairobi Senator, has been a prominent figure within the party and a vocal defender of its positions in Parliament and in public forums.
While the NEC’s recommendation signals a shift in the party’s leadership structure, the final decision now rests with the National Governing Council and ultimately the National Delegates Conference, the party’s highest decision-making organ.
The coming days are expected to determine whether the recommendation will be upheld, amended, or overturned, as ODM navigates a leadership transition under close public and political scrutiny.