Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi has urged Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna to abandon his legal battle to reclaim the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary-General position, declaring that the party has “rotted” and is no longer worth fighting for.

Speaking during a funeral ceremony in Emmabwi, Emuhaya Constituency, Vihiga County, on Friday, June 26, Osotsi said he would personally advise Sifuna against pursuing another court case challenging his removal from the influential party position.

The senator, who addressed mourners alongside other leaders, said he plans to meet Sifuna upon returning to Nairobi and encourage him to walk away from the dispute.

Osotsi praised Sifuna’s leadership and said he had emerged as the political figure the Linda Mwananchi group intends to rally behind nationally.

“Sisi tumepata kijana Mungu ametusaidia, Edwin Sifuna tumesema yeye ndo atakuwa ndume yetu mbele. Na Senator wenu Godfrey Osotsi mmeona mimi nimesimama nyuma yake. Tunatembea na yeye Kenya mzima na wakenya wamekubali yeye,” Osotsi said.

However, he accused ODM of sidelining both himself and Sifuna following the death of veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga.

“Ile kitu nataka kuambia Sifuna ni kwamba mimi mlinichagua nikiwa ndani ya chama cha ODM, Sifuna pia ndani ya chama cha ODM. Lakini tangu Baba akufe, hii ODM imeonyesha sisi madharau,” he said.

According to Osotsi, the party had repeatedly targeted Sifuna despite an earlier court ruling that questioned the legality of his first removal.

The senator concluded by urging Sifuna to let the matter go instead of returning to court.

“Wamesukuma Sifuna; hadi juzi korti ilisema kuwa walikosea kumuondoa mara ya kwanza, lakini siku iliyofuata wanaitisha mkutano ati wanamtoa tena kwa kiti ya secretary general. Mimi pia walinitoa. Sasa nataka kuadvise hivi, na nikirudi Nairobi nitakaa chini na Sifuna nimwambie kwamba ODM imeoza. Hakuna haja ya kwenda kutetea hiyo kiti kule kortini. Wacha iende,” Osotsi said.

Sifuna rejects second ODM ouster

Osotsi’s remarks come days after Sifuna rejected ODM’s latest decision to remove him as Secretary-General, accusing the party of repeating what he described as the same unconstitutional and procedurally flawed process that had previously been challenged in court.

In a statement issued on June 23, 2026, by his Linda Mwananchi team, Sifuna argued that the National Executive Committee (NEC) had once again ignored the party’s constitution.

“Late last evening, we were made aware of the decision by the ODM Party NEC purporting, for the second time, to remove the SG Hon. Edwin Sifuna from office. On the face of it, the decision bears similarities with the first one in February; unprocedural, unfair and contrary to the party’s constitution,” the statement read.

His legal team announced that it would once again move to court to challenge the latest decision.

“After consultation with our legal teams earlier this morning, it has been decided to once again test the propriety of the purported ouster in the courts because we are convinced it should suffer the same fate as the first one in February.”

ODM defends decision

The latest political standoff began after ODM’s National Executive Committee endorsed recommendations by the party’s Internal Dispute Resolution Committee to remove Sifuna from office.

Speaking after the NEC meeting on June 22, interim Secretary-General Catherine Omanyo said the committee had considered complaints against Sifuna before forwarding its findings to the party’s top decision-making organ.

“After going through the report and the findings, the NEC unanimously resolved to adopt the committee’s recommendation and endorsed the removal from office of Senator Edwin Watenya Sifuna,” Omanyo said.

The announcement marked the second time this year that ODM has sought to remove Sifuna from the Secretary-General position, setting the stage for another legal showdown.