Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has once again been removed as the Secretary General of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC). The decision, announced on Monday evening by acting Secretary General Catherine Omanyo, comes just days after a tribunal ruled that the senator had not been given a fair hearing during a previous attempt to oust him in February.
Sifuna, through his Linda Mwananchi team, has firmly rejected the decision, describing it as unconstitutional, unfair, and contrary to the party's constitution. In a statement released on Tuesday, his team argued that the latest move mirrors the flawed February attempt that was successfully challenged in court.
They have vowed to seek legal redress once again, stating that they are convinced the decision will suffer the same fate as the first one. "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," the statement read.
The ODM NEC, however, has maintained that due process was followed this time around. Rarieda Member of Parliament Otiende Amollo defended the party's decision, insisting that Sifuna was given ample opportunity to respond to the allegations.
Amollo explained that the NEC was presented with a report from the party's Internal Dispute Resolution Committee, which indicated that Sifuna had been accorded sufficient time to present his defence through his legal representatives. "He actually responded through his lawyers, and therefore, the question of procedural fairness has been taken care of," Amollo said.
In a statement read by Catherine Omanyo, the party said the NEC unanimously adopted the committee's recommendations and endorsed Sifuna's removal from office. The party cited remarks made by the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal, which underscored the importance of internal party discipline and accountability.
"The day any official of a party becomes above the law, so to speak, will be the day of the funeral of political party democracy in Kenya," Omanyo quoted the tribunal as saying. The NEC also extended its best wishes to the former secretary-general in his future endeavours.
The latest development has deepened divisions within the party, with Sifuna's faction, Linda Mwananchi, insisting that the process was procedurally flawed. The faction has announced the postponement of its planned rallies in Kisii and Keroka to allow for the legal challenge.
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