By Kevin Koech, Political Correspondent
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), Kenya’s once-dominant opposition party, is embroiled in a deepening internal crisis, with Secretary General Edwin Sifuna admitting the party is struggling with ideological confusion and mixed messaging—prompting sharp rebukes from senior figures, including Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi and Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai.
The widening rift within ODM has exposed simmering tensions over the party’s direction, its alliance with President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza government, and growing disillusionment among its grassroots supporters.
Mbadi Warns Sifuna: “Respect ODM Hierarchy”
Former ODM chairman and current Treasury CS John Mbadi has publicly chastised Sifuna, accusing him of undermining party unity and overstepping his role. Speaking to Ramogi TV, Mbadi emphasized that party leader Raila Odinga remains the ultimate decision-maker in ODM.
“Between the Party Leader and the Secretary General, whose decision is final?” Mbadi questioned, dismissing Sifuna’s recent criticisms as personal opinions rather than official party positions.
Mbadi also defended ODM leaders who joined Ruto’s government, revealing that their appointments were made with Raila’s full knowledge and approval.
“The current collaboration between ODM and Kenya Kwanza will continue until 2027,” he stated, adding that Raila would determine the party’s future political strategy.
Sifuna’s Shock Admission: “ODM No Longer Speaks with One Voice”
In a candid interview on Citizen TV’s The Explainer, Sifuna laid bare the party’s internal contradictions, admitting that ODM has lost its ideological clarity.
“Right now, there is a lot of confusion,” he confessed. “There was a time when it was easy to be ODM’s Secretary General—you could wake me up at night, and I’d answer any question because we never compromised on our values. But today, I struggle to explain our stance on basic issues like devolution or protest rights.”
Sifuna pointed to ODM leaders serving in Ruto’s government as a major source of disillusionment among supporters.
“You see a former ODM stalwart now sitting as a Cabinet Secretary, and it leaves our base confused. What does ODM stand for anymore?”
In a rare moment of contrition, he apologized to ODM members:
“I want to apologize for the confusion we, as leaders, have caused. It should be easy to know where ODM stands, but right now, it’s not.”
Robert Alai MCA Blasts Sifuna: “He’s Bitter Ruto Didn’t Pay Him Ksh 50M”
Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai, a vocal ODM member, launched a scathing attack on Sifuna via Twitter (now X), accusing him of hypocrisy and incompetence.
“Sifuna has three problems,” Alai tweeted. “First, he chose a soft interview with Yvonne Okwara to avoid tough questions. Second, he’s bitter because Ruto refused to pay him Ksh 50 million to join the government. Third, he’s obsessed with attacking Ruto instead of fixing Nairobi’s mess.”
Alai further criticized Sifuna’s leadership, claiming he failed to deliver Nairobi for ODM in the last elections and has done little to grow the party.
“Even the ODM website hasn’t been updated since Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o’s era. What exactly has Sifuna achieved?”
Sifuna Declares ODM-UDA MoU “Dead” After Blogger’s Death
The ODM Secretary General also declared the much-debated Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ODM and UDA null and void following the death of teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang’ in police custody.
“On the day Albert Ojwang’ died in a police cell, this agreement died,” Sifuna stated. “I warned against this MoU from the start. How can we partner with a government that kills protesters?”
He revealed he had refused to join a team reviewing the MoU’s implementation, calling it a futile exercise.
“I’m not a mortician. This deal was dead on arrival.”
What Next for ODM?
With Raila Odinga now eyeing the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship, questions loom over ODM’s future.
- Will the party reclaim its opposition roots, or fully embrace Kenya Kwanza?
- Can Sifuna and Mbadi reconcile, or will the infighting escalate?
- How will grassroots supporters react to the leadership’s perceived betrayal?
For now, ODM remains a house divided—and unless urgent reforms are made, its political dominance may continue to erode.
