ODM in Turmoil as Sifuna Ouster Triggers Threat of Mass Exodus
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is currently facing one of its most turbulent periods following the controversial ouster of its long-serving Secretary General, Senator Edwin Sifuna. The decision, reached by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) during a heated meeting in Mombasa on February 11, 2026, has sent shockwaves through the political landscape and sparked fears of a massive internal rift.
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is teetering on the edge of a significant split following the dramatic removal of Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna from his powerful post as Secretary General. The party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) announced on Wednesday that Sifuna had been relieved of his duties “with immediate effect,” citing a need for discipline and party cohesion. Busia Woman Representative Catherine Omanyo was swiftly named as his acting successor, a move that critics argue bypasses the party’s established internal democracy.
The fallout has been immediate and visceral. Sifuna, who has served in the role for nine years, has flatly rejected the move, labeling it “illegal, unprocedural, and a blatant violation of the ODM Constitution.” In a defiant press briefing supported by heavyweights like Siaya Governor James Orengo and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Sifuna claimed his “only crime” was opposing a potential pact between ODM and President William Ruto’s UDA. He suggested that the party is being steered toward becoming an “appendage of State House,” a move he claims would betray the legacy of the late party leader, Raila Odinga.
The crisis has now moved from the party headquarters to the corridors of justice. On February 12, 2026, the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) granted Sifuna a temporary reprieve, suspending the implementation of the NEC’s resolution until the matter is heard. This legal freeze prevents the Registrar of Political Parties from gazetting the leadership changes, effectively keeping Sifuna in office—at least on paper—as the internal war rages on.
However, the damage to party unity may already be done. Reports of a “mass exodus” are surfacing as several MPs and grassroots delegates express their dissatisfaction with what they term a “cabal-led” takeover. With the 2027 General Elections looming, the “Orange Party” faces an existential threat: can it maintain its identity as Kenya’s premier opposition force, or will these internal fractures lead to a permanent splintering of the movement?
