Battle lines drawn as Oburu takes on Sifuna over party leadership dispute

ODM party leader Oburu Oginga has unleashed his political claws in a manner rarely seen among party leaders, threatening Secretary General Edwin Sifuna over his recent positions while defending their push to seal a pre-election pact with President William Ruto’s UDA party.

Struggling to steady the ODM ship amid intense political turbulence, Oburu has chosen to confront critics within the party head-on.

Yesterday’s public statement castigating Sifuna for his remarks drew sharp criticism from some party supporters, pundits and insiders, who described Oburu’s actions as inept and an insult to the party’s structures.

They argued that his position commands respect and that he undermined the office by engaging junior leaders in a public spat instead of using internal party mechanisms to restore order.

In a comprehensive statement, Oburu addressed an interview Sifuna gave to a TV station, seeking to dismiss his claims on several party issues, including Oburu’s rise to the party’s top leadership.

He rejected Sifuna’s assertion that ODM is prematurely negotiating with UDA, insisting that the party remains focused on forming the next government.

“Let me reiterate, ODM remains united, strong and anchored in its founding values. Debate is welcome, but it must be responsible and aligned with the party discipline. No individual, however senior, is above the collective decisions of the party,” said Oburu.

The statement comes just hours before Sifuna and a group of other perceived rebels head to Busia for a rally dubbed Linda Mwanainchi Tour.

The event contrasts sharply with Oburu and his allies' push for Raila's support as the Oburu-led faction continues to spearhead countrywide rallies under the Linda Ground banner.

According to party insiders, Oburu’s statement may be just the beginning of a storm for Sifuna, as some party leaders consider disciplinary action against him and other perceived rebels.

An insider familiar with the party’s inner workings told Saturday Standard that the leadership is seeking to punish Sifuna for allegedly undermining party positions among supporters.

“Oburu is under pressure from some leaders to oversee disciplinary proceedings against Sifuna and other perceived rebels. The statement was meant to remind him that he needs to tone down his rhetoric,” said an ODM MP.

Disciplinary proceedings

The legislator added that there is a growing belief that Sifuna is abusing his role as Secretary General by making statements that contradict Oburu’s positions.

He is not alone; others challenging the party leadership and its direction include Deputy Party Leader Godfrey Osotsi, Siaya Governor James Orengo, EALA MP Winnie Odinga and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, among others.

Last month, an attempt to launch disciplinary proceedings against Sifuna failed following the intervention of Raila’s widow, Ida Odinga. At the time, Migori Senator Eddy Oketch had filed a petition seeking Sifuna’s expulsion from the party.

Yesterday, Oburu appeared to set the stage for another round of disciplinary action as he criticised Sifuna for his recent comments.

He argued that the same process that elevated him to the position of Secretary General is the one that brought him to power, emphasising that the party’s structures remain supreme.

“When Sifuna questioned the legality of some national officials on the basis that the National Governing Council elected them, he overlooked a fundamental fact: he himself was elected by the same organ in February 2018,” Oburu said.

With Oburu now taking internal party feuds to the court of public opinion, it remains unclear how he will calm the growing turbulence within ODM.

Adding a new layer to the dispute, his sister, Kisumu Woman Rep Ruth Odinga, who is also a party official, has thrown her weight behind Sifuna’s recent positions and comments.

Taking to her official Facebook page, Ruth criticised party members who have labelled Sifuna a “rebel” for publicly raising concerns over the management and financing of the party’s recent large-scale events.

Ruth also questioned the source of funds used by ODM to organise its Linda Ground rallies across the country.

At recent rallies in Kisumu, several reliable sources told Saturday Standard that national government operatives helped fund the events and mobilise attendees, particularly in Kondele.

Describing the funding as suspicious, Ruth aligned herself with Sifuna in questioning the origins of the money behind ODM rallies, which have seen participants dressed in matching party outfits.

Ruth believes the party is being mismanaged and has openly questioned the leadership's rush to initiate pre-election coalition talks with UDA. Like Sifuna, she argues that the process is premature.

 “As a signatory to the ODM account, if he questions where all the money for choppers, big tents and ODM-branded t-shirts and caps in the ‘Linda Ground’ conventions are coming from, why should anyone abuse him? He admitted on national TV that the ODM party has not spent any coin on the campaigns, which run into millions of shillings. Those with the answers, why can’t you provide them? Are governors funding the campaigns? Are MPs doing it from the NGCDF kitty? Did we get a philanthropist that a Party SG is not aware of who is funding the clearly expensive public forums? And what is in it for the ‘philanthropist’?” she posed.