Nairobi Senator and embattled Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has stated that no one has formally explained to him his wrongdoings, as the party grapples with an intense internal power struggle, plunging it into one of its deepest crises in years.

Sifuna’s remarks come amid ongoing infighting, following the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) decision to remove him from the secretary-general position, a move temporarily blocked by the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT).

The discord centres on ODM’s political direction as the country prepares for the 2027 general election.

A faction aligned with party leader Oburu Odinga has been actively courting the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) of President William Ruto for a pre-election pact, arguing that collaboration with the ruling party strengthens ODM’s strategic influence.

In contrast, Sifuna and his Linda Mwananchi faction have firmly rejected any alliance with UDA, insisting that ODM must remain true to its foundational principles and resist accommodating Ruto’s re-election ambitions.

In an interview on a local TV station on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, Sifuna challenged his critics to substantiate their accusations against him.

“No one has formally told me my mistakes. I need to be shown the accusations. For instance, when they say that your public utterances are contrary to a resolution of the party. You have to demonstrate to me that this is the resolution of the party, and this is the public utterances that go against it,” he said.

The legislator has also recounted disputed negotiations that have further eroded trust within ODM, describing how proposed cooperation talks with UDA were developed and advanced without proper consultation.

“I have been asking this gentleman to show me this document. This is the first time I’m seeing it,” Sifuna said.

He accused unnamed party officials of prioritising optics over substance and sidelining established party structures in the process.

Tiff over Ruto-ODM talks

On the other hand, has defended engagement with UDA as politically pragmatic, maintaining that ODM can only negotiate with Ruto, a position Sifuna’s faction regards as a betrayal of the party’s principles and legacy.

Meanwhile, Oburu has told dissenting members they are free to leave if uncomfortable with the party’s direction, showing a widening rift between the old guards and the younger leadership.

The infighting has spilt into public view during rallies organised by Sifuna’s Linda Mwananchi movement, which has been mobilising grassroots support across the country. At a recent rally in Kakamega County, Sifuna condemned President Ruto and reaffirmed his faction’s commitment to making Ruto a one-term president in 2027.

“We will not relent in our push for Ruto to serve one term. We shall also continue to fight for Kenyans the way the late Raila Odinga did,” he declared, invoking the legacy of the late ODM leader to rally supporters.

The crisis illustrates broader tensions in ODM politics, where party loyalties are increasingly tested by shifting alliances and personal ambitions ahead of a fiercely contested election.

Sifuna has, however, maintained that the struggle is about protecting ODM’s identity and presenting a clear alternative to Ruto’s leadership, even as the Oburu-aligned wing, the calculus of power and political relevance, dominates the strategic agenda in a rapidly changing political landscape.