A significant internal conflict within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is threatening to overshadow the party’s upcoming 20th-anniversary celebrations. The rift pits Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna against Suna East Member of Parliament Junet Mohamed, with their public disagreement centered on the party’s support for the “broad-based government” formed with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
The tension escalated during an event in Mombasa, where Junet publicly criticized Sifuna’s opposition to the broad-based government. Junet attributed Sifuna’s stance to his association with “wrong company,” specifically mentioning Githunguri Member of Parliament Gathoni Wamuchomba. “I have heard the party’s SG claiming that he does not understand President William Ruto and broad-based, but we want to tell him that he is saying this because he is walking with the wrong people, such as Wamuchomba,” Junet stated. He further argued that such associations have prevented Sifuna from fully grasping the political and social benefits of the broad-based government.
Junet firmly reiterated ODM’s commitment to the alliance, emphasizing that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with President Ruto. “If he says that he does not understand broad-based government, that’s his own opinion because he is the SG of the party, but we want to tell him that ODM is part of the broad-based government. We went and signed an MOU with the president, and as long as the MOU is active, we will remain by his side,” Junet asserted. He stressed that only ODM leader Raila Odinga has the authority to declare the MoU null and void.
Sifuna, however, has been vocal in his belief that the MoU is “dead.” Speaking on Citizen TV, he claimed that the top decision-making organs of ODM had considered reviewing the MoU, a process he declined to be part of. “I have asked respectfully that I be left out of that team because I have already declared this MOU dead. So, there’s no point; I’m not a mortician. There’s no point in going to review a document that I have already declared dead,” Sifuna explained. His decision comes from what he perceives as the government’s failure to uphold key principles outlined in the agreement, particularly concerning the protection of lives and democratic freedoms.
Other ODM leaders, including Homa Bay Governor and ODM Chairperson Gladys Wanga, have sided with Junet, affirming the party’s continued support for the deal. “Our party leader is Raila Odinga. When he says left, we go left,” Wanga stated, adding, “There is no single day we have abandoned the MoU. Those saying otherwise are not speaking on behalf of ODM. We are fully supporting the President in delivering development”.
The anniversary celebrations, scheduled from October 10-12 in Mombasa, will feature a youth concert, women’s convention, football tournament, and youth summit, aiming to commemorate the party’s two decades of defending the constitution and democracy.
