Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has rejected a fresh attempt by the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) to remove him as Secretary-General, accusing the party leadership of repeating what he describes as a flawed and unconstitutional process.
Sifuna said the latest decision by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) mirrors an earlier disputed move that was challenged in court in February, insisting that internal procedures and the party constitution were ignored.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, his Linda Mwananchi team termed the NEC resolution “procedurally defective” and warned that the matter would once again be taken to court.
“The decision is a repetition of the same flawed process previously challenged in court. It is unconstitutional and cannot stand,” the statement said.
The dispute comes against the backdrop of the emergence of the Linda Mwananchi political movement, a loose opposition-aligned formation that has grown around senior political figures and activists advocating governance reforms, accountability, and stronger protections for citizens’ economic and political rights.
The movement has largely positioned itself as a response to what its supporters describe as rising state excesses, economic hardship, and demands for institutional reforms. It has also been closely associated with youth-led activism under the broader “Gen Z” political wave that gained prominence during and after the 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests.
Within the same political ecosystem, the term “Linda Nchi” has also been used in political discourse to describe a parallel mobilisation narrative focused on national security, public order, and state authority. While the two labels are often used interchangeably in public debate, they reflect competing political messaging frameworks—one centred on citizen protection and accountability, and the other on security and state stability.
Deepening party tensions
Sifuna, who also serves as Nairobi Senator, has increasingly clashed with sections of ODM leadership amid internal disagreements over party direction and alliances ahead of the next election cycle.
The renewed attempt to remove him as Secretary-General is expected to intensify internal divisions within ODM, which has in recent months faced growing pressure over leadership structure, discipline, and competing political alignments within the broader opposition space.
Sifuna’s allies argue that any disciplinary or leadership changes must strictly follow party rules, warning that bypassing constitutional procedures risks dragging ODM into prolonged legal battles.
“The party must not operate outside its own constitution. That is the core issue here,” a source within his political network said.
Legal battle likely
The Senator’s camp has indicated that the matter will once again be escalated to court if the NEC decision is not reversed, setting the stage for a fresh legal confrontation within one of Kenya’s major political parties.
Party officials had not publicly responded to the claims by the time of going to press.
The dispute adds to growing internal strains within ODM as political realignments begin to take shape ahead of the next electoral cycle, with leadership authority and organisational control increasingly under scrutiny.
