The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) National Executive Committee (NEC) is meeting today in Mombasa amid growing reports of an internal push to remove Secretary General Edwin Sifuna from his position.
Although the party has officially stated that the meeting will focus on receiving a briefing from the Central Management Committee on coalition building and preparations for the upcoming National Delegates Convention (NDC), multiple sources indicate that Sifuna’s fate is a key undercurrent.
Sifuna, who is also the Nairobi Senator, has in recent months taken a firm public stance against the broad-based political arrangement between ODM and President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
He has also opposed the idea of a pre-coalition agreement between the two parties, positions that have reportedly put him at odds with a section of the party’s top leadership.
Sources familiar with the internal discussions say there is a quiet but coordinated effort to replace Sifuna with Busia Governor Paul Otuoma.
The push is said to be driven by party honchos who argue that ODM requires a secretary general who can work more “seamlessly” with party leader Oburu Odinga as the party recalibrates its strategy ahead of future political engagements.
Signs of a possible purge have already emerged. Some of Sifuna’s close allies have reportedly been removed from the NEC WhatsApp communication platform, a move insiders interpret as a signal that dissenting voices may be sidelined during or after today’s meeting.
In addition to the leadership question, the NEC is expected to issue a stern warning to party members opposed to the current coalition-building direction, underscoring the leadership’s demand for unity and discipline.
If confirmed, Sifuna’s removal would mark one of the most significant internal shake-ups within ODM in recent years, potentially reshaping the party’s posture on cooperation with UDA and its broader national political strategy.