NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 29 — Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna faces mounting pressure as internal party divisions deepen, raising questions about whether he will survive the political heat in 2026.
The Nairobi Senator has come under fire from a faction of senior party leaders who accuse him of drifting away from ODM’s mainstream strategy, particularly regarding its relationship with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
The tension has been sharpened by the death of ODM’s founding leader Raila Odinga, which left a leadership vacuum now playing out in public disagreements among senior party figures.
Central to the rift is the interpretation of Raila Odinga’s final political guidance.
Party leader Oburu Oginga and others aligned to the ODM-UDA cooperation framework insist the party must remain in the broad-based arrangement signed on March 7, arguing engagement with the government was Raila’s preferred approach to stabilising the country.
Sifuna’s allies, including Saboti MP Caleb Amisi and Siaya Governor James Orengo, offer a different reading, insisting ODM’s cooperation with UDA should be tactical and time-bound, lasting only until 2027 after which, they say, the party should reclaim its opposition identity and consider fielding a presidential candidate.
Sifuna himself has been firm, repeatedly stating that President William Ruto should be defeated in the 2027 polls — a position that unsettles party members favouring accommodation with the government.
Uhuru hand
Accusations against Sifuna have escalated as factions harden their stance.
ODM Chairperson Gladys Wanga Sunday warned former President Uhuru Kenyatta against using internal actors to destabilise the party, while Suna East MP Junet Mohamed claimed external forces are influencing ODM officials to sow discord.
Although no evidence has been publicly presented, the statements add to the political cloud surrounding Sifuna.
The pressure extends beyond ODM ranks. UDA-allied Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei publicly called for Sifuna’s removal, branding him “the biggest threat to ODM’s growth” and accusing him of weakening the broad-based government pact.
Within the party, Youth League leader Kasmuel McOure criticised Sifuna for promoting the “One Term” slogan championed by President Ruto’s critics, arguing the SG was projecting personal views as party policy.
However, not all party figures oppose him. Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo suggests Sifuna’s rhetoric reflects Nairobi’s opposition-leaning political dynamics rather than defiance, while Governor Orengo warns that sidelining him would be “a great loss” to ODM.
Orengo contends that Sifuna’s voice is critical to preserving the party’s identity amid ideological divergence.
With 2026 marking a key turning point for the 2027 general election, ODM faces a crucial test: reconcile internal differences to present a united front or risk fragmentation that could further weaken its influence even as a new poll reported UDA overtaking the Orange Party moths after narrowing its gap.
For now, Sifuna remains at the centre of a battle that may define ODM’s post-Raila era — and his political survival in the year ahead hangs in the balance.
