Mass exodus from ODM as Secretary General Sifuna is kicked out

The Orange Democratic Movement party (ODM) could soon be a shell of its former self, if the mass exit triggered by the ouster of Secretary General Edwin Sifuna boils longer.

On Thursday, many Kenyans who claimed to be ardent supporters of ODM said they had hit the quit button, parting ways with the troubled 20-year-old party.

This came barely a day after the National Executive Council (NEC) announced the ouster of Sifuna, compounding mounting troubles of the party, from leadership wrangles since the death of its visionary leader Raila Odinga and the removal of its Secretary General Edwin Sifuna.

On Thursday, many supporters said it was enough and called it quits, triggering the mass exodus of its members.

Immediately, the party’s NEC announced its decision to remove Sifuna as the party’s Secretary General, a section of ODM members took to social media to post their resignation, accusing the party of reneging on its core values of tolerance and democracy as they accused a faction of the party that supports the Broad-Based government of betraying Raila’s legacy.

Those who resigned after using the registrar of political party’s short code of *509# accused the Oburu Oginga-led party of allowing President William Ruto to infiltrate and make key decisions of the party such as removing the dissenting voices within the ODM, a move they claimed was against the party’s tenets which included accommodating divergent opinions within the party.

The disgruntled members such as Talai Kilel wrote in his X account: "It’s officially the end of an era. With Edwin Sifuna ousted as SG, ODM has lost its heartbeat and its vibrancy. The party that once shook the nation now feels like a shadow of its former self. We will truly miss the real ODM."

Another member only identified as Alfayo in his X account said his decision to resign from the party was informed by the ever changing political landscape saying: "it is important to remain strategic and forward-looking. We cannot allow our aspirations to be confined by a declining platform."

“I have tendered my resignation as a full time @TheODMparty member who has committed to serving it with loyalty. The party has since been hijacked by ravenous individuals whose position is to subvert the wish of the people. May @RailaOdinga continue resting in peace, Amolo,” Timo Kosgey announced through his X account.

Other members such as Sobbins Wakala maintained their resignation from ODM was informed by the fact that their allegiance with Raila and Sifuna.

They argued that since Raila died and Sifuna has been ousted, they no longer saw the need of being the party members.

“I have done my Cardinal duty through *509# to resign from the ODM party which I belonged to since 2007. My allegiance was to Baba and democracy. It is not good. It can't be well! Let the party be sold without my membership! Wakala wrote.

Omondi Jaganyi wrote in his Facebook account: “I have with immediate effect resigned from and terminated my membership with the @TheODMparty. A copy of this letter has been sent to the ODM party email (which is difficult to find) and forwarded to the @ORPPKenya for his further action."

 Another ODM member who identified himself as Pope the OGW said: "It was nice doing business with you. It is time to move on and leave ODM alone to the owners, we love you but there is nothing we can do to change the facts."

Even as a section of members claimed that the removal of Sifuna would signal the death of the party, some of the ODM leaders laughed off the claims saying Sifuna’s ouster would not tilt the party’s standing and influence.

Homabay Town MP Peter Kaluma claimed Sifuna had no influence within the party, especially because he failed to deliver the Kriobangi Member for County Assembly which went to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) in the by-elections held in November last year.

 “We are now told that the removal of Sifuna who couldn’t deliver a mere Kariobangi Ward to ODM in the last by-election will shake ODM. Do those saying so know that even Sifuna’s family didn’t vote for ODM despite our voting for him to be Senator! Who is his home MCA? Are we the ones who took him to Gachagua? Indiscipline is not democracy! Sifuna must now leave the Senate Leadership seat and deliver the Party and Parliamentary vehicles and facilities - now!,” Kaluma said.

Fredrick Okango maintained that the next move by the party would be to effect changes in the minority leadership, especially the Deputy minority whip position, accusing the Sifuna led position of fracturing the party from within.

“Their recent posture suggests a calculated exit strategy, one designed not just to leave the party, but to fracture it from within. By positioning themselves as victims of internal intolerance, they aim to sanitise their departure and justify shifting allegiance while mobilising their support base to follow them into a new political formation. This is less about principle and more about political survival and relevance in a rapidly shifting landscape,” he noted.

 A member of the ODM’s NEC who was in Mombasa on Wednesday as they removed Sifuna said most of the leaders who were opposed to the Nairobi Senator’s removal foresaw mass exodus given that the Senator enjoyed a massive following and he had a gift of a gab.

“Those of us who were against his removal foresaw moves such as mass exodus, but those who pushed for the ouster were bullish and said they were ready for the consequence, they disregarded the law and maintained that he had to go,” the source said.

He said the NEC relied on article 74 (2) of the ODM constitution which allowed theM to remove a a member on its own motion without informing him on the reasons for his removal.

The said article of the party’s constitution reads: ”Any person holding office in the party shall cease to hold such office upon the expiry of the term of office, upon death, upon resignation from the said office, upon resignation from the party and upon being declared bankrupt."

“Upon resolution of the National Executive Committee that such person ceases to hold office. The NEC may take such resolutions suo moto or upon the recommendation of the disciplinary committee, polling unit steering committee, sub branch executive committee or branch executive committee.

But it is the same article that provides that prior to the removal of any office bearer, he/she shall be granted adequate opportunity to defend himself/herself against any allegations that may have been leveled against him/her.

The source said the leaders who presided over Sifuna's removal led by Rarienda MP Otiende Amollo were bullish obout the provisions and maintained that they did not care about the legal process thereafter, but maintained they had to dethrone Sifuna.

“They did not want to listen to the divergent views. We also noted heavy deployment of uniform and civilian police officers and this is why most of us believe the whole process had the blessings of the State," the source added.