Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has rejected his removal as Secretary General of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), terming the decision illegal, unconstitutional and a violation of due process.
Speaking on Thursday, a day after he was replaced by Catherine Omanyo, Sifuna said he would challenge his ouster through legal channels and in the court of public opinion.
“We shall fight for this great institution until the very end, and we will challenge every illegality in the courts of law and in the court of public opinion. Surrender is not an option for us. I urge our members to remain calm, steadfast and committed to the ideals that brought us together. ODM is bigger than any individual, and it must remain anchored in justice, transparency and respect for its own constitution,” Sifuna said.
The party formally announced Sifuna’s removal on Wednesday, stating that the National Executive Committee (NEC), during a meeting held in Mombasa on February 11, 2026, had resolved to remove him from office with immediate effect. The statement cited rising levels of indiscipline within the party, particularly among senior leadership, as a key concern.
“Having deliberated on matters relating to the conduct of the Secretary General, Senator Edwin Sifuna, the NEC resolved to remove him from office with immediate effect, in accordance with party constitution and applicable laws, effective immediately,” the party said.
Omanyo, who has been serving as one of the Deputy Secretary Generals, was appointed to act as Secretary General pending the election of a substantive office holder.
However, Sifuna dismissed the NEC’s decision as irregular and contrary to the ODM Constitution and the principles of natural justice. He said he was neither informed of any allegations against him nor given an opportunity to respond.
“At no time have I been informed of any allegations against me… Neither have I been invited to respond to any complaints in and out of the party on any matter that would constitute grounds for removal of a Secretary General,” he stated.
The senator further accused a faction of the party leadership of taking instructions from State House, insisting that he remains the legitimately elected Secretary General of ODM.
Sifuna has been at the forefront of a faction opposed to ongoing talks between ODM and the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), a stance that has deepened divisions within the 20-year-old party. He noted that his opposition to engagement with President William Ruto predates the death of the party’s longtime leader, Raila Odinga, arguing that Raila had accommodated differing views within the party.
“Regardless of what political deals Raila struck with different regimes, he would never have allowed his beloved party to be turned into a mere appendage of State House,” Sifuna claimed.
He also criticised recent procedural actions within the party, including a February 3 Gazette notice that he said sought to legitimise leadership changes after deadlines had lapsed. According to Sifuna, such moves reflected “bad manners that progressive institutions and individuals pick up as soon as they get cosy with William Ruto.”
Despite the escalating standoff, Sifuna maintained that he remains committed to ODM and its founding ideals.
“I remain a loyal member and the duly elected secretary general of the ODM party. I remain committed to the struggle, to the struggle for a fair, just and democratic Kenya,” he said.
The unfolding dispute is expected to test internal party structures and could have broader political implications as alignments shift ahead of the next electoral cycle.
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