Gloves Off as OBURU OGINGA tears into ODM SG SIFUNA for questioning his legitimacy as party leader - “No one is bigger than the party”

Friday, February 06, 2026 - ODM party leader, Oburu Odinga, has issued a strongly worded response to Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, dismissing his recent claims that the Party Leader was not duly elected to office.

In a statement released on Friday, Oburu accused Sifuna of “contradiction” and warned that “no one is bigger than the party.”

He argued that the Secretary General has increasingly blurred the line between personal opinion and official party policy, creating confusion among members and supporters.

The Siaya Senator faulted Sifuna for questioning his legitimacy as party leader, insisting that all current ODM officials are serving in line with resolutions passed by party organs.

“ODM has, since its inception, demonstrated fidelity to its Constitution and to the rule of law.”

“The same principle has put every individual in their rightful position, including that of Sen. Sifuna.”

“We want to state categorically that all Party officials are serving substantially and supported by the Party organ resolutions,” Oburu stated.

He further reminded Sifuna that he himself served as Secretary General without endorsement from the National Delegates Convention until 2022.

“When Sifuna questioned the legality of some national officials… he overlooked a fundamental fact: he himself was elected SG by the same organ in February 2018 and discharged the functions of that office fully and effectively until February 2022, when the NDC subsequently endorsed him.”

Despite the sharp rebuke, Oburu did not indicate whether disciplinary action will be taken.

The party remains divided, with some members backing Sifuna’s call for ODM to chart its own course, while others push for a partnership with Ruto’s UDA party.

Sifuna has maintained that he will not resign, reiterating on Citizen TV that only a Delegates’ Conference could remove him.

This comes after Oburu’s sister, Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga, defended Sifuna, likening his stance to Raila Odinga’s past defiance.

“If indeed he is a rebel, then how many times was Raila Odinga one?”

“Even in the ‘nusu mkate’ Government, Raila would still stand his ground,” she said.

She further asked: “If the MoU has not been honoured, with less than 30 days to its expiry, what is so treasonous about Sifuna publicly declaring it dead?”

The Kenyan DAILY POST