ODM fires Edwin Sifuna as Secretary general as internal party rift deepens

The late Raila Odinga’s founded Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has formally removed Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna from his position as the party’s Secretary-General after the National Executive Committee (NEC) unanimously adopted recommendations of its Internal Dispute Resolution Committee (IDRC).

The decision was announced on Monday, June 22, by acting ODM Secretary-General Catherine Omanyo following a meeting of the party’s top decision-making organ.

In a judgment delivered on June 18, 2026, Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) Chair Gad Gathu, on behalf of the panel, found that the process leading to the earlier NEC resolution was procedurally flawed, particularly regarding notice, agenda setting and the opportunity for Sifuna to respond to allegations against him.

“The complainant was not accorded a fair hearing prior to the resolution to remove him from office,” the tribunal ruled.

The tribunal noted that there was no evidence Sifuna had been informed that his conduct would be discussed during the NEC meeting in question, adding that the tentative agenda circulated ahead of the meeting did not include any disciplinary proceedings against him.

“There is no evidence that the complainant was informed of any change in the agenda in the discussion of his conduct to enable him to appear accordingly,” the tribunal observed.

However, the tribunal distinguished between procedural fairness and the merits of disciplinary action, noting that Sifuna had challenged the manner in which the process was conducted rather than arguing that he was immune from disciplinary proceedings altogether.

ODM’s latest move suggests the party sought to cure the procedural shortcomings identified by the tribunal by subjecting the matter to its Internal Dispute Resolution Committee before returning it to the NEC for consideration and adoption.

Reading the NEC resolution, Omanyo said the committee considered a report submitted by the IDRC, which had been constituted under Article 51.3(f) of the ODM Constitution to hear and determine a complaint against Sifuna in his capacity as Secretary-General.

“The NEC received and considered the report of the party’s Internal Dispute Resolution Committee and, after going through the findings under Article 74(2) of the party constitution, unanimously resolved to adopt the committee’s recommendations and endorsed the removal from office of Senator Edwin Watenya Sifuna,” Omanyo said.

She added that the decision takes immediate effect, effectively ending Sifuna’s tenure as the party’s chief administrative officer.

The NEC cited observations made by the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) on the importance of internal party discipline and accountability in defending its decision.

“The day any official of a party becomes above the law, so to speak, will be the day of the funeral of political party democracy in Kenya. If such a situation were to occur as a matter of fact, this tribunal would never sanction the same by law, for such would be an affront to the law,” the tribunal stated in remarks referenced by the party.

The tribunal further observed that it was generally reluctant to interfere with political parties’ disciplinary mechanisms, noting that doing so would amount to micromanaging internal party affairs.

Omanyo said the party wished Sifuna well following his removal.

“We take this opportunity to wish our former secretary-general well in his future endeavours and engagements,” she said.

The decision comes just days after the PPDT ruled that Sifuna had not been accorded a fair hearing during an earlier attempt by the party to remove him from office.