File image of Oburu Oginga and Edwin Sifuna
ODM party leader Oburu Oginga has hit out at Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna following his recent interview on Citizen TV.
In a statement on Friday, February 6, Oburu accused Sifuna of failing to differentiate between personal opinion and official party policy.
He said the remarks by the ODM Secretary General were misleading the party’s supporters and influencing the general discourse in the party.
Oburu faulted Sifuna’s remarks that he was not validly elected as the party leader following the death of the late Raila Odinga.
The Siaya Senator asserted that Sifuna himself was a product of the party’s processes regarding the elections of its officials.
“When Sen. Sifuna questioned the legality of some national officials, he overlooked the fact that he himself was elected Secretary General by the National Governing Council in February 2018 and served fully until his endorsement by the National Delegates Convention in 2022,” said Oburu.
The ODM leader also pointed out what he termed as contradictions in Sifuna’s position on coalition politics. He recalled that in July 2025, the Secretary General argued that ODM could not afford to wait until 2027 to plan its post-election strategy, yet now appeared to question the urgency of pre-election coalition talks.
“As a responsible political Party preparing to form the next government, we must plan ahead. Strategic engagement is not panic; it is prudence. And democratic space does not equal chaos.
“Let it also be known that frequent reference to other coalitions and not ODM’s is a concern and needs to be keenly mitigated on,” Oburu added.
Further, Oburu said the party would continue engaging the government and other stakeholders in pursuit of a better nation.
He urged ODM party members to remain disciplined, focused, and committed to ODM’s founding values, emphasizing that no individual, regardless of seniority, is above collective party decisions.
“ODM remains united, strong, and anchored in its founding values. Debate is welcome, but it must be responsible and aligned with Party discipline. No individual, however senior, is above the collective decisions of the Party,” Oburu concluded.
