Suba South MP Caroli Omondi has stirred fresh controversy over the removal of Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna as Secretary‑General of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), alleging undue external influence and orchestrated decision‑making within the party leadership.
In an interview on Citizen TV’s JKLive on Wednesday night, Omondi claimed that powerful interests outside the party structure dictated outcomes during the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting that led to Sifuna’s ouster.
He described the first session as inconclusive, saying it ended in “a stalemate,” but was subsequently reconvened after purported instructions from these unnamed external actors to “deliver” the decision to remove Sifuna.
Tensions Behind the Decision
The NEC meeting in Mombasa on February 11, 2026, resolved to relieve Sifuna of his duties, citing alleged indiscipline and breaches of party protocol.
The resolution was passed with immediate effect, and Busia Woman Representative Catherine Omanyo was appointed acting Secretary‑General pending election of a substantive successor.
Omondi’s comments align with broader concerns among some party figures that the move was driven by political manoeuvring tied to broader debates over ODM’s direction.
Sifuna’s faction, aligned with the “Linda Mwananchi” camp, has repeatedly opposed closer cooperation with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) — a stance that has placed him at odds with other senior leaders favouring pragmatic alliances.
Sifuna Rejects the Move
Sifuna has vehemently rejected his removal as unlawful and unconstitutional, insisting he remains the duly elected Secretary‑General.
He promptly challenged the NEC resolution in the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT), which on February 12 issued conservatory orders blocking implementation of the ouster and preventing its gazettement pending a full hearing.
His allies, including Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, have described the NEC meeting as irregular, asserting that procedural norms were ignored and warning of continued resistance to what they term a “hostile takeover” of ODM’s leadership.
Political Fault Lines Deepen
The controversy has exposed sharp factional divides within the 20‑year‑old party, particularly in the aftermath of the late Raila Odinga’s death in October 2025, which left a leadership vacuum and intensified strategic disagreements.
ODM’s move to formally distance itself from the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition ahead of the 2027 general election has further compounded internal tensions.
Omondi’s framing of the ouster as influenced by “external forces” reveals ongoing debates over political autonomy, party discipline and the future direction of one of Kenya’s largest opposition parties.