Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has declared his intention to head back to court after the Orange Democratic Movement moved to unseat him from the party’s Secretary-General position once more. The senator confirmed he will challenge the latest decision through legal channels, marking what could become his second court battle with the party over the same seat.
The move against Sifuna was triggered after ODM’s National Executive Committee voted in favour of his removal following a report presented by the party’s Internal Disputes Resolution Committee. The committee had been tasked with investigating complaints linked to the senator’s conduct in his capacity as Secretary-General.
Sifuna and members of the Linda Mwananchi Movement, a grouping backing his position, wasted no time in pushing back, arguing the latest ouster carries the same hallmarks as a similar attempt made in February this year. Suba South Member of Parliament Caroli Omondi voiced the group’s frustration during a press briefing in Parliament, stating that “the decision bears similarities with the first one in February and is procedural and unfair.” The allies maintain the party is recycling flawed tactics without addressing the fundamental issues raised by the tribunal earlier in the year.
The February removal attempt had ended badly for ODM after Sifuna successfully challenged it before the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal. The tribunal ruled against the party, finding that ODM had denied the senator a fair hearing. Critically, it noted there was no evidence Sifuna had been formally notified of any disciplinary proceedings against him, nor had he been granted any opportunity to defend himself before the decision was reached. That ruling effectively restored him to his post and set a clear legal precedent the party now appears to be working around.
ODM, however, insists the current removal process is entirely above board. The party maintains that this time the action against Sifuna has followed all proper constitutional procedures, with the Internal Disputes Resolution Committee having thoroughly examined complaints that the senator was publicly communicating positions at odds with those of the party’s leadership.
Sifuna’s legal advisers have expressed confidence that pursuing the matter through the tribunal once again remains the right course of action. They believe the same legal arguments that succeeded in overturning the first removal are likely to prevail against this latest decision as well.
The standoff deepens questions about internal cohesion within ODM at a politically sensitive moment, as the party continues to navigate its alliance dynamics in Kenya’s shifting political landscape.
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