The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has defended its decision to suspend Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, saying the move followed party procedures and adhered to the principles of natural justice.
In a replying affidavit filed at the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT), Secretary for Special Interest Groups Halima Daro outlined a sequence of events after party leader Raila Odinga’s death in October 2025. She said the disciplinary process against Sifuna was initiated by collective decisions of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and internal constitutional procedures.
According to the affidavit, the NEC met on October 16, 2025, a day after Odinga’s passing, to provide direction during a sensitive period of mourning and political uncertainty. The Central Committee later convened on October 27 to brief members on the NEC’s resolutions.
During these meetings, Sifuna, in his official capacity as Secretary General, publicly read resolutions endorsing Oburu Oginga as interim party leader and urged party members to offer full support. The endorsement was later affirmed by the National Governing Council during a November 2025 meeting in Mombasa.
However, ODM now claims that Sifuna later issued statements that appeared to contradict the resolutions he had publicly communicated, creating confusion among party members. “Notwithstanding being an active participant in the decisions by the Party’s organs, the Complainant on numerous instances contradicted the said positions in his public pronouncements,” the affidavit reads.
The party argues that the Secretary General’s role as official spokesperson requires clear and consistent articulation of party positions. Any deviation, ODM says, compromises cohesion and undermines the integrity of party organs.
ODM also noted that the February 11, 2026, NEC resolution merely initiated an internal disciplinary process; it was not a final determination. The party insists that Sifuna was accorded the opportunity for a fair hearing in line with the party constitution and principles of natural justice.
The party further contends that Sifuna prematurely moved to the PPDT, obtaining conservatory orders that halted the internal process. ODM maintains that the tribunal should respect the Internal Dispute Resolution Mechanisms (IDRM) and the doctrine of exhaustion, requiring internal remedies to be fully pursued before judicial intervention.
At the centre of the dispute is whether the NEC lawfully initiated disciplinary action over alleged breaches of party discipline, or whether Sifuna’s complaint should be treated as constitutional and irregular. The tribunal is now expected to determine if it has jurisdiction or if the matter must first return to ODM’s internal structures.
The outcome will have implications for party discipline and governance, particularly as ODM prepares for the 2027 general elections, where internal cohesion and leadership clarity are seen as critical.
 has defended its decision to suspend Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, saying the move followed party procedures and adhered to the principles of natural justice.){kind=link}