NAIROBI, Kenya—Feb 12, 2026—A fresh power struggle is unfolding within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) after embattled Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna rejected his removal and swiftly escalated the standoff into both a legal and political battle.
Hours after the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) announced his ouster in Mombasa, Sifuna rallied supporters in Nairobi, branding the decision “illegal and unprocedural” and accusing a rival faction of orchestrating a purge.
Flanked by Winnie Odinga, Siaya Governor James Orengo and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, the Nairobi Senator claimed he had neither been notified of allegations nor accorded a hearing.
“At no time have I been informed of any allegations against me… Neither have I been invited to respond to any complaints,” he said.
Sifuna framed the showdown as ideological, linking his removal to his opposition to any attempt by ODM to back President William Ruto’s re-election bid.
“My only crime is that I oppose any plans and schemes within the party to support President William Ruto’s re-election,” he declared.
The public display of solidarity from senior party figures exposed widening fault lines within ODM, with Deputy Party Leader Godfrey Osotsi accusing an Oburu Odinga-led faction of attempting to “kill” the party from within.
Babu Owino described the moment as an internal war, portraying Sifuna as a casualty of factional politics.
In a further escalation, Sifuna announced plans for a major rally in Kitengela, signalling that the confrontation will extend beyond the courts into the public arena.
The standoff comes amid simmering tensions within ODM over its post-Raila Odinga direction, particularly on how the party should position itself in relation to President William Ruto’s administration.
In recent months, divisions have emerged between leaders advocating a hardline opposition stance and those perceived to favour engagement with the government.
Sifuna has been among the most vocal defenders of a confrontational approach, drawing criticism from sections of the party leadership.
The NEC, in removing him, cited concerns over discipline and leadership conduct, and appointed Deputy Secretary-General Catherine Omanyo to serve in an acting capacity pending fresh elections.
With both camps digging in, ODM now faces a defining internal contest that could reshape its leadership hierarchy, coalition posture and ideological direction as the 2027 political cycle gradually takes shape.
