A fresh voice has entered the growing internal wrangles within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), with businessman Oketch Salah urging the party leadership to take a firm and immediate position on Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna.
In a statement, Salah criticised what he described as hesitation and inconsistency in handling Sifuna’s open defiance of party leadership. He warned that continued indecision risks weakening ODM at a critical political moment.
“Honestly, it’s time ODM grows a spine and makes a clear decision on Sifuna. This back-and-forth and hesitation will cost us—we’ll regret it later if we don’t act now,” Salah said.
His remarks come amid escalating tensions between Sifuna and sections of the party leadership following the transition after the death of ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Sifuna has recently taken a confrontational stance, including publicly rejecting working under the current leadership and aligning himself with factions pushing for internal reforms.
Salah argued that the signs of Sifuna’s political departure from ODM were evident long before the current crisis.
“Let’s be honest with ourselves, Sifuna had already checked out of ODM even before Baba passed. Baba himself made it clear that the two were heading in different directions,” he stated.
The businessman framed the ongoing standoff as a test of the party’s ability to safeguard its legacy. He emphasised that ODM, built over years as a dominant opposition force, must not be destabilised by internal uncertainty.
“We have a responsibility to protect what Baba built. ODM is bigger than individuals and we cannot allow indecision to weaken it,” Salah added.
His intervention reflects growing concern among ODM supporters and political observers over the party’s internal cohesion.
The dispute has already triggered legal battles, leadership disputes, and the emergence of parallel political mobilisation efforts linked to Sifuna.
Salah further insisted that leadership requires difficult choices, warning that delaying action could have long-term political consequences. “Sometimes tough decisions must be made. Indecision is worse than a wrong decision,” he said.