Sifuna Vows legal Fight, Reject removal as ODM Secretary General
Senior ODM leaders led by Siaya Senator James Orengo accompany Secretary General Edwin Sifuna at a briefing following the contested NEC resolutions.
Sifuna has rejected his removal as ODM Secretary General, declaring the move unconstitutional and vowing to fight to retain control of the powerful party office.
A fierce power struggle has erupted within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) after a section of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) announced the removal of Edwin Sifuna as Secretary General, a move he has dismissed as illegal and unconstitutional.
Speaking to the press in Nairobi on Thursday, ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna said the decision made at a meeting in Mombasa on February 11 was “illegal, unprocedural and a blatant violation of the ODM constitution as well as the principles of natural justice.”
“At no time have I been informed of any allegations against me… Neither have I been invited to respond to any complaints,” he said, maintaining that no lawful organ of the party had accorded him a hearing.
The Secretary General’s position is one of the most influential offices in ODM, overseeing party administration, coordination, and official communication. Sifuna, who says he is now in his ninth year in the role, described himself as the longest-serving SG in the party’s history.
“This month marks the beginning of my ninth year as SG of ODM. I am the longest serving individual in that position,” he stated, defending his record and loyalty to the party’s ideals.
He framed the dispute as a battle over principle rather than position.
“This is not about positions. It is about principle. It is about protecting the integrity of our party,” Sifuna said, adding that he remains the “duly elected Secretary-General of the ODM party.”
Several senior leaders stood by him, dismissing the NEC meeting as irregular and its resolutions invalid. Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi termed the development a “hostile takeover” attempt, while Governor James Orengo declared: “As I stand here, the SG of the ODM is Senator Edwin Sifuna.”
Orengo further noted that during his tenure, Sifuna had steered the party through two general elections and had never been publicly rebuked by the former party leader in the discharge of his duties.
The embattled SG announced that the matter is already before the courts and that he will pursue all available legal and internal dispute resolution mechanisms to challenge the decision.
“We will challenge every illegality in the courts of law and in the court of public opinion. Surrender is not an option for us,” he said.
With plans for grassroots engagements already unveiled, the contest over the Secretary General’s office now threatens to deepen divisions within ODM, setting the stage for a prolonged internal battle over the party’s direction and control.
