Elsie Muhanda has decried the manner in which the Nairobi Senator was removed from the Secretary General position of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) before the Political Parties Tribunal handed him a reprieve.

According to Elsie Muhanda, ODM did not accord Sifuna a chance for a fair hearing.

Speaking during an event in Kakamega on Saturday, February 14, the 2027 gubernatorial hopeful stated that the party went ahead with the removal of Edwin Sifuna without consulting Western Kenya leaders within ODM, including Cooperatives and MSMEs Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya.

“Our son, Senator Edwin Sifuna, was removed from the ODM Party Secretary General position without our consent. We cannot stay silent. Senator Sifuna needs fair hearing.”

Muhanda further revealed that despite being a member of the party’s National Executive Council (NEC), she was not consulted before the decision was made. She termed Sifuna’s ouster as unfair and procedurally flawed.

She called on leaders from the Western region to unite, arguing that such incidents should not happen again to one of their own.

Muhanda added that she stands with Sifuna in his ongoing standoff with the Orange party. She noted that the late former ODM party leader, Raila Odinga, never sidelined members over differences in opinion but instead embraced internal democracy and divergent views.

“I stand with Sifuna,” she added

Nabwera defending Sifuna

She was seconded by Nabii Nabwera, who also criticised the party’s decision to remove Sifuna. Nabwera argued that the “D” in ODM stands for democracy, and it was ironic that the party failed to follow its own constitution.

According to him, the ODM constitution provides that when a member is accused of wrongdoing, they should be informed of the charges and given adequate time to defend themselves, something he claimed did not happen in Sifuna’s case.

Nabwera further said Sifuna was unfairly removed and deserved an opportunity to respond to the allegations against him. The Lugari MP, who has previously differed with Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa, also faulted the governor for thanking the NEC for removing Sifuna, terming the move unfortunate.

He vowed that they would not sit back and watch as one of their kinsmen was targeted.

Sifuna’s ouster

The controversy follows a decision by ODM’s NEC, led by Oburu Odinga, during a meeting held in Kilifi, to remove Sifuna from the Secretary General position. He was replaced in an acting capacity by Busia Woman Representative Catherine Omanyo, pending the election of a substantive officeholder.

Sifuna has since expressed outrage over his removal, stating that he was not given a chance to defend himself. He vowed to seek justice, including through the courts.

PPDT’s resolution

He moved to the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT), which ruled in his favour and reinstated him as secretary general pending the full determination of the matter.

The tribunal further scheduled the mention of the petition filed against ODM and the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) for February 26, 2026.