Vihiga Senator and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Deputy Party Leader Godffrey Osotsi has claimed that key consultations ahead of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting that ousted Secretary General Edwin Sifuna were held at State House rather than within party structures.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, February 12, 2026, after the dramatic developments that saw Sifuna removed as ODM SG, Osotsi explained why he and Sifuna skipped the crucial NEC meeting in Mombasa.

“I am surprised that Senator Oburu told us he needed to consult further, yet the consultation was not with other key stakeholders in the party,” Osotsi said.

“Instead, they proceeded that night to State House to consult William Ruto, and that is why two of us did not attend the KNEC meeting in Mombasa.”

Oburu’s feedback

Osotsi claimed that he and Sifuna were awaiting feedback from ODM party leader, Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga, on whether the NEC meeting would proceed as scheduled.

“We were waiting for feedback from Oburu as to whether the NEC meeting in Mombasa is happening or not. I am surprised that they went ahead and made the very critical decision of removing Sifuna as ODM SG,” he added.

The NEC meeting in Mombasa recommended Sifuna’s removal as Secretary General, a move that has since triggered sharp divisions within the party.

Deputy Secretary General Catherine Omanyo was announced as Acting SG pending ratification by the National Governing Council and ultimately the National Delegates Conference.

The fallout appears to have deepened factional lines within ODM, particularly over the party’s cooperation with the Kenya Kwanza administration.

Sifuna’s stance

Sifuna had been openly critical of the broad-based arrangement between ODM and President Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), arguing that the party risked losing its opposition identity. His critics, however, have maintained that the collaboration was sanctioned by party organs.

Treasury Cabinet Secretary and ODM National Chairperson John Mbadi has defended the move to remove Sifuna, insisting that party discipline must prevail and that cooperation with Ruto was approved through internal mechanisms.

Osotsi’s statement now casts doubt on whether the process leading to Sifuna’s ouster was purely internal, potentially intensifying debate over the autonomy of party decisions.

With senior figures openly questioning the circumstances surrounding the NEC decision, the dispute risks evolving from a leadership change into a broader contest over the party’s direction and independence.

As tensions simmer, ODM faces mounting pressure to clarify the events leading to the Mombasa meeting and to manage internal dissent before it spills further into the public arena.