Sifuna Says He Tried to Unite ODM, Claims Party Has Changed Since Raila’s Death

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna says he did his best to preserve unity in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) following the death of its former leader, Raila Odinga, insisting that he honoured his promise not to wreck the party despite his fallout with its leadership.

Sifuna, who served as ODM Secretary General for nine years, said the party had changed significantly since Raila's death, leaving some members struggling to find political expression within the party under whose ticket they were elected.

He maintained that his efforts to prevent divisions within ODM were genuine, despite becoming embroiled in leadership disputes that eventually led to his removal from the Secretary General position.

“I want Baba, wherever he is, to know that I actually kept my promise during his burial not to be the one to wreck his party. I have been at the centre of some of the controversy, but I personally believe that I tried my best to keep the party united, just as I said in Bondo,” Sifuna said.

The senator recalled several attempts to reconcile rival factions within the party, including mediation sessions involving ODM trustees and meetings held at the homes of party leaders.

He cited a visit to Raila's widow, Ida Odinga, during the late former Prime Minister's birthday, saying she had urged the party leadership to resolve its differences through dialogue.

Sifuna, however, claimed that despite the interventions, decisions affecting ODM were being made outside established party structures before being communicated to members.

He said the mediation efforts initially appeared promising, only for subsequent decisions to contradict agreements reached during the meetings.

The senator also expressed disappointment over what he described as the party's failure to follow its constitution in handling his removal from office.

Sifuna said he challenged his ouster before the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT), which he claimed found that ODM had erred and directed the parties to follow the party constitution.

He added that he subsequently requested arbitration under the party's constitution, but his request was rejected.

According to Sifuna, ODM should have referred his case to its standing disciplinary committee, chaired by Rama Abubakar, rather than establishing a separate body to hear the matter in his absence.

He further said he sought the tribunal's intervention over the disciplinary process but remained dissatisfied with the party's handling of the dispute.

Despite the fallout, Sifuna insists he remains an ODM member, even as he rules out seeking re-election under the party's ticket in the 2027 General Election.

He maintains that his decision does not amount to resignation, arguing that ODM no longer provides the political platform he needs to pursue his ambitions.

“I am still a member of ODM. I have not resigned. I am just saying I will not run on ODM in 2027,” he said.

Sifuna accused President William Ruto of having control over ODM, arguing that the party's current political direction had influenced his decision to seek an alternative platform.

He also questioned calls for him to resign from the Senate before contesting under another political party, citing previous political realignments involving other leaders.

The senator argued that resigning from his elected position barely months before the next General Election would impose an unnecessary financial burden on taxpayers by triggering another election.

He maintained that Nairobi residents had elected him for a five-year term under the ODM ticket and that he intended to honour that mandate.

Sifuna has been working with allies to establish The Equitable Party (TEP) as his political vehicle ahead of the 2027 elections.

The party is expected to undergo a rebranding process linked to the Linda Mwananchi Movement.

He said October had been set aside for establishing grassroots structures and completing work on the party's headquarters, alongside addressing registration matters involving the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP).

The senator said discussions on coalitions and political alliances would follow after the party had completed the necessary groundwork.

His remarks came amid overtures from Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka's The Ukombozi Alliance (TUA), which is seeking to bring opposition forces together ahead of the next election.

Sifuna's political repositioning follows his emergence as TEP's presidential candidate in September, as he and his allies continue building the Linda Mwananchi political movement.