Millie Odhiambo: We have created a hero out of Sifuna
By Kenneth Mwenda, April 26, 2026Suba North Member of Parliament (MP) Millie Odhiambo has said the ODM Party must be careful how it handles internal disputes, warning that poor treatment of leaders can turn them into public figures with stronger political appeal.
Speaking on Sunday, April 26, 2026, Odhiambo said she had previously cautioned party members against pushing out Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, arguing that internal conflicts often produce unintended political consequences.
“And I want to say here, without fear, that I had warned even against us chasing Sifuna from the party,” she said. “And the reason is because I knew, by the nature of his politics, he was bound at some point to leave.”
She added that how a party treats its members can shape their public image and political standing.
“But when we mistreat somebody, then we make him a hero,” Odhiambo said. “We have created a hero out of Sifuna. I’m not saying he’s not a hero, but he wasn’t what he is now.”
Odhiambo insisted that the party’s internal conduct must improve if it is to remain strong.
“Our mistreating Sifuna is what has made Sifuna a hero,” she said. “So let us be careful the way we are dealing with our issues.”
She also claimed she has personally faced intimidation when raising internal party concerns in the past.
“When I raised these things, some goons were sent to beat me. When I raised these issues, I was shouted down in Kisumu,” she said.
Call for party discipline
Despite the tensions, Odhiambo said she remains committed to ODM but wants stronger internal democracy and discipline.
“But I will say, without fear, that as a party that I love, we must strengthen our party,” she said. “And that show of strengthening our party means there must be internal party democracy.”
Her remarks come amid growing political tension within ODM linked to the Linda Mwananchi faction, which has publicly defended Sifuna as his position as Secretary-General faces internal pressure.
The faction, led by senior figures including Sifuna, Siaya Governor James Orengo, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi, has accused rival camps of attempting to weaken dissenting voices within the party.
Sifuna himself has recently spoken about the emotional weight of Raila Odinga’s death, saying the ODM leader’s absence has left a major gap in the party and national politics.
The internal disputes have also widened over ODM’s future direction, including whether the party should cooperate with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) or pursue a more independent political path ahead of 2027.
Despite the divisions, both camps continue to claim they are defending ODM’s founding ideals, setting the stage for further confrontation within the party.