Kasmuel reprimands Sifuna for defying ODM stand
By Kenneth Mwenda, December 31, 2025Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna has come under scrutiny from fellow party leaders over his public remarks, prompting calls for discipline and adherence to party protocols.
Kasmuel McOure took to X on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, to criticise Sifuna’s approach, saying the role of secretary-general is institutional, not personal.
“The office of the ODM Party’s Secretary-General is not a platform for personal opinion. It demands discipline and loyalty to the party constitution,” McOure said.
He added that while Sifuna has the democratic right to pursue other political ambitions, as long as he remains secretary-general, he must respect the party leader and communicate the official position, not his own views.
McOure emphasised that the Secretary-General’s role is to articulate policy, not create it, and that personal opinions masquerading as party positions are unacceptable. He also reminded that Sifuna was handpicked by the party, which has the authority to appoint a replacement if needed.
“ODM is bigger than any individual,” McOure concluded.
Deepening factional divide
The remarks come in the wake of several incidents that have exposed deepening cracks within ODM.
On December 30, Sifuna publicly apologised to former President Uhuru Kenyatta for insults directed at him by a section of ODM leaders. Speaking at the funeral of former MP Cyrus Jirongo, Sifuna acknowledged Uhuru’s loyalty during the late Raila Odinga’s presidential bid and extended an apology on behalf of those leaders.
The apology, however, has not fully resolved tensions. Some party leaders, including Chairperson Gladys Wanga and Minority Leader Junet Mohamed, have accused Sifuna of undermining ODM by engaging with outsiders, including Uhuru, to influence party decisions.
These claims have widened the factional divide, with one group advocating for continued cooperation with President William Ruto’s UDA party and another seeking to maintain ODM’s independence and preserve Raila Odinga’s legacy.
Sifuna has also insisted that any major party decision, such as cooperation with UDA or the removal of key officials, must go through the National Delegated Council (NDC). He has distanced himself from claims that he is collaborating with Uhuru to destabilise the party, maintaining that decisions should be collective and inclusive of all ODM members across Kenya.
The disagreement reflects the challenges ODM faces after the death of its founding leader, Raila Odinga, in October 2025.
The party now has two vocal factions: one that supports pre-election arrangements with UDA ahead of the 2027 elections, and another, led by Sifuna, that opposes such a pact. Key figures in the Sifuna-led camp include Saboti MP Caleb Amisi, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, and Siaya Governor James Orengo.