ODM leaders accuse President Ruto of ousting Sifuna

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party leaders allied to Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna have accused President William Ruto of wrecking the party and orchestrating his removal as secretary general.

The ODM leaders have, however, vowed to stay put, fight and defend the party to the bitter end.

Deputy Leader Godfrey Osotsi, Siaya governor James Orengo and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino said the only mistake that Sifuna has done is fighting for the downtrodden, raising concerns over the high cost of living and other failures of President Ruto.

Speaking in Nairobi yesterday, the leaders said the action taken by ODM National Executive Council to kick out Sifuna was illegal, unprocedural and a blatant violation of the ODM constitution and the principles of natural justice. They insisted that Sifuna a loyal ODM member and the party's secretary general.

"At no time have I been informed of any allegations against me, be they of indiscipline, insubordination or incompetence in execution of my duties as ODM secretary general, neither have I been invited to respond to any complaints in the party on any matter that would constitute grounds for removal. No lawful ODM organ has invited me for any hearing,” said Sifuna.

He said departed ODM party leader Raila Odinga did not teach them to run away from hardship or challenges but to confront them head on, with their party constitution placing a responsibility on them to fight for ODM through all lawful means.

The Nairobi senator said he remains a loyal ODM member whose only crime was to oppose plans and schemes within the party to support President William Ruto ’s re-election. Sifuna said his stand against Ruto was based on the fact that the country cannot afford another five years of this expensive, divisive, incompetent and disastrous Ruto misadventure.

He said he is the longest serving ODM secretary general and that to serve that long at the feet of the enigmatic Raila Odinga needed one to summon all reservoirs of wisdom from all possible sources, but, most importantly, to remain a true and loyal student who would never betray the ideals and principles of the late leader.

Sifuna said he had served this party with loyalty, diligence, and unwavering commitment because he had a leader in Raila who nurtured young leaders and knew how to bring competing interests and egos into one functional movement.

"It is in public domain that my opposition to the party’s dalliance with Ruto started long before Raila passed on. He understood my reasons and accommodated them. It is also a known fact that, regardless of what political deals Raila struck with different regimes, he would never have allowed his beloved party to be turned into a mere appendage of State House, where decisions are rubber-stamped after instructions are received from the regime,” said Sifuna.

The Nairobi senator said it was painful to note that sections of the party continue to desecrate the legacy and memory of Raila by turning the party into a theatre of the illegal, pointing out a gazette notice released purporting to legitimise the recent changes in party leadership, with a rider asking for the public’s input within seven days, even though the stated date had lapsed by three weeks.

Sifuna said those who now purport to run the party are aware that the new party leader, Raila's older brother and Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga, was installed unprocedurally.

He said that, in recent times, many respected personalities within the movement have reached out to him and to the rest of the leadership, seeking a middle ground of unity, at least until the National Delegates Council is convened.

The individuals that have reached out, Sifuna said, include the party trustees, Mama Ida Odinga and Kisumu County MP Ruth Odinga, who have worked tirelessly to try to unite the party.

"I want to assure our members across the country that this is not about positions. It is about principle. It is about protecting the integrity of our party. It is about ensuring that ODM remains a democratic institution governed by rules, not impulses. Whatever actions I take from here, obviously after wide consultations, I will do so with my head held high, knowing full well that I never let my leader Raila Odinga, or the members of this party, down” Sifuna said.

Osotsi said he raised alarm a few days ago that the ODM party was now being remote controlled from State House and there was an attempt of a hostile takeover of the party.

"I am surprised that they went ahead and made a very critical decision of removing Senator Sifuna as the ODM Sectary General, I am calling upon the membership of this party to stand firm and resist the efforts by President William Ruto to take over our party. We are not going allow him,” said Osotsi.

Orengo insisted that Sifuna remains the ODM secretary general, arguing he had served the party for nearly 10 years and he has been with Raila at very critical and crucial moments, including running the affairs of the party between the two general elections of 2017 and 2022.

The Siaya governor said that when Sifuna was the secretary general, there was not a single moment that Raila Odinga rebuked or criticized him in public in the discharge of his functions. He wondered why the current leadership should have a problem with him other than being a plan to kill the largest political party.

"I would like to ask President Ruto to leave ODM alone. He is the one who is behind all these wars you are seeing. ODM is a movement of the people, for the people, by the people and those who are coming out as leaders of ODM, please go to the people,” Orengo said, adding:

"I want to state that the illegal removal of Sifuna from office is not taken lightly by this team. And I want to condemn the leaders who did this. We know what Baba stood for. Baba stood for justice and Baba stood for fair hearing and trial."

"I want to assure Kenyans that we are going to fight them to the end. A battle line has been drawn. If you are on our side, you are on our side. If you are on the other side, fight on the other side,” said Babu, the Embakasi East MP.