NAIROBI, Kenya Mar 6 – The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has announced a Special Delegates Convention for Friday, March 27 in Nairobi, amidst internal tensions over recent leadership changes.
The notice, issued by ODM Deputy Secretary-General Catherine Omanyo, cites the party constitution as the legal basis for convening the meeting. Delegates will include members of the National Executive Committee, Parliamentary Group, Council of Governors and Deputy Governors, leaders from the youth, women, and disability leagues, as well as specially nominated county representatives.
The convention comes amid controversy following the removal of Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna as the Secretary-General.
Last month, the ODM National Executive Committee (NEC) resolved to remove Sifuna from his powerful position as Secretary General during a meeting in Mombasa.
According to the NEC, the move was part of wider efforts to enforce discipline and recalibrate leadership ahead of crucial political contests as the party seeks new political pacts but it drew sharp criticism from many within the party who saw it as precipitous and lacking in proper procedure.
Barely a day after the NEC decision, the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) intervened, issuing an order preventing ODM from executing the removal and stopping the Registrar of Political Parties from publishing the decision in the Kenya Gazette effectively blocking the ouster pending a full hearing.
That order was later extended to 12 March 2026, offering Sifuna a temporary reprieve as the dispute plays out in the legal arena.
The decision has fractured ODM’s leadership. A faction aligned with party leader Oburu Odinga insists the NEC acted within its mandate, arguing that changing leadership roles is a strategic necessity as the party prepares for elections and broader negotiations with other political formations.
This camp has pointed to internal discipline and organisational renewal as justifications for Sifuna’s removal.
Supporters of Sifuna argue that his removal in absentia without a proper National Delegates Convention (NDC) or consultation of broader party organs sets a dangerous precedent.
