Edwin Sifuna Removal as ODM Secretary General: Timeline of the 2026 Dispute
By Shiled Jerono | Updated October 1, 2026
The Orange Democratic Movement’s dispute with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna over the position of Secretary General developed through several stages in 2026, including internal party action, tribunal proceedings and a later NEC decision.
February: ODM announced his removal
In February, ODM’s National Executive Committee announced that Sifuna had been removed as Secretary General and named Busia Woman Representative Catherine Omanyo as acting Secretary General. Party officials cited concerns about discipline within the senior leadership.
The dispute did not end there
The internal decision became part of a wider legal and disciplinary dispute. The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal later directed the party to follow its disciplinary procedures before finalising action against Sifuna.
June: NEC again endorsed removal
On June 22, ODM’s NEC adopted the findings of its internal dispute-resolution process and again endorsed Sifuna’s removal from the office of Secretary General. Omanyo continued in the acting role.
Political context
Sifuna had taken increasingly independent political positions through the Linda Mwananchi movement and had publicly disagreed with sections of ODM leadership. Those political differences formed part of the wider context, but the party framed the formal process through its constitution and disciplinary mechanisms.
What this article does not conclude
This report does not determine whether the party or Sifuna was legally or politically “right.” It records the documented sequence of decisions and proceedings so readers can distinguish the February announcement from the later June action.
Why the timeline matters
Political-party disputes can move through internal committees, the Registrar of Political Parties and the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal. Reporting only the first announcement can therefore become misleading if later procedural steps change the legal status of a decision.
For readers following ODM ahead of 2027, the key distinction is between internal party decisions, tribunal rulings and entries formally recognised by the Registrar of Political Parties. Those stages can occur at different times.
