Resigned? Sifuna says cannot be Secretary General of Oburu Oginga

After holding a successful parallel ODM meeting on the same day that party leader Oburu Oginga hosted a Special Delegates Meeting (SDG), a defiant Edwin Sifuna ruled out working with Oburu.

He also hinted that he is unlikely to quit the party anytime soon, contrary to widespread speculation.

The embattled Secretary-General led hundreds of party rebels, including Siaya County Governor James Orengo, Suba South MP Caroli Omondi, and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, in declaring that they would fight to have their voices heard within the party.

Seen as a defining moment for ODM, the power showdown between the two factions came a day after the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal directed that the party should not submit Sifuna’s removal to the Registrar of Political Parties, pending an attempt at internal dispute resolution.

“Sifuna was not born to be the Secretary General of ODM forever. It’s not a must for Sifuna to be the Secretary General of the party. It has been the honour to be the SG of probably the greatest politician this country will ever see,” Sifuna said.

 “I refuse to be the SG of mediocrity. I refuse to be the SG of Oburu Oginga. These characters don’t deserve me. Let them ask for a proper NDC where in our line-up we shall present candidates for all the party positions,” he said noting that his team had attracted delegates from 35 counties, a sizable number that justifies a right to be heard.

In what is shaping up to be an epic split within ODM, it is now clear that the Sifuna-led faction is unwilling to compromise, vocally criticising Oburu’s alleged political compromise with the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition and its 10-point agenda.

The group, mainly composed of youthful leaders, said they would remain in the Azimio coalition party, where Raila left them before his death, and that they would work with friendlier parties while resolving to produce a presidential candidate.

“We have a Presidential candidate and a running mate. We will remain in the Azimio coalition party and shall not work with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA),” Suba South MP Caroli Omondi, who is also Secretary-General of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Alliance, said.

Omondi, who read the resolutions to supporters at the Ufungamano House convention, accused their counterparts from the Linda Ground of changing the direction Raila wanted the party to take.

“Raila was surrounded by scavengers five years before his death. What is happening now is a culmination of what started in the past. In December last year, I was among the ODM leaders invited to Transmara by the President to auction the party, but I refused,” said Omondi.

The leaders announced that yesterday’s event marked the journey “to liberate the country from Ruto’s misrule.”

“The journey to liberate Kenya started here at Ufungamano, and today’s events also mark a new beginning,” Siaya Governor James Orengo said. “Freedom has always been born out of rebellion. We are ready to return to where we were to demand change because the people who never believed in the new Constitution are now in charge. We must take them to where they belong,” he added. 

Orengo announced that the Linda Mwananchi group will join the Gen-Z protests in June to commemorate the youths killed by police two years ago.

“I am tired of waiting for a moment to remove a dictator. You must make his life uncomfortable. You must give him sleepless nights. You must make Kenya an uncomfortable place for Kasongo,” Orengo told Linda Mwananchi supporters.

Orengo said the Linda Mwananchi team did not have faith with the current Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

“We must fight for an impartial IEBC to ensure free and fair elections. Every commissioner, including the chairperson, has a patron in the political setup. They cannot deliver credible elections. We will not accept Smartmatic as the commission’s technology provider, given its involvement in scandals worldwide,” he said.

The leaders accused the President of what they termed as a scheme to kill multiparty democracy by allegedly buying off the ODM party.

“The party was auctioned a long time ago, and Oburu was not even aware. He is being used. When they cross over, he will ultimately be removed as party leader. The President has coerced them to agree on zoning,” Omondi said.

The leaders held the meeting despite objections from police officers, who had barricaded the venue for most of Thursday and Friday morning.

At around 11am, Sifuna and other leaders, flanked by supporters, stormed the venue and forcibly gained entry. When the meeting began, police officers tried repeatedly to access the auditorium, but supporters overpowered them, insisting the meeting continue, eventually forcing the police to withdraw. 

“If there is a day we are ready to die for our country, it is today.  This meeting is properly convened and we shall not allow the police to disrupt us,” Orengo said.

During the meeting, delegates endorsed Sifuna for the presidency, stating that he had the blessings of party members and that his ideals resonated with Gen-Z.

They praised Sifuna as a fearless and spotless politician who defended social justice and stood with Kenyans against the oppression of Ruto’s administration.

Sifuna responded: “I have heard what you have said, and I am not a coward. I will honour any mandate given to me by Kenyans. They claim you do not have votes, they claim that your demand for accountability is hot air, but if you decide now, you are the ones who shall bring change to this country.”