A storm is brewing at the heart of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) after Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna boldly dismissed the ODM-UDA Memorandum of Understanding, declaring it “dead” and mocking the review process as a job fit only for “morticians.” This left Treasury CS, John Mbadi is breathing fire!
“I have asked respectfully to be left out of that team because I already declared this MOU dead. I have already done so publicly, so there is no point. I am not a mortician,” Sifuna fired on Citizen TV on Tuesday night, sending shockwaves through the political establishment.
His remarks were not just defiance—they were a public repudiation of ODM’s current alliance with the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition, revealing deep fissures within the party and openly questioning its ideological direction under Raila Odinga’s leadership.
The backlash was swift and ferocious.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary and former ODM National Chairman John Mbadi, visibly irked by Sifuna’s bold defiance, issued a sharp rejoinder that exposed the deepening power struggle within ODM.
“Between the Party Leader and the Secretary General, whose decision is final?” Mbadi challenged, casting doubt on Sifuna’s authority to speak for the movement.
That question wasn’t just rhetorical—it was a public dressing down meant to remind Sifuna of the party’s command chain and Raila Odinga’s unchallenged supremacy.
Adding to the fire, Nyaribari Chache MP Zaheer Jhanda demanded Sifuna’s resignation or outright expulsion, accusing him of double-dealing.
“You cannot dine at the table of unity by day and sharpen swords of sabotage by night. That’s political conmanship. If you think you have better ideas than President Ruto, run against him,” said Jhanda, lashing out with unfiltered venom.
The political class wasn’t alone. Social media exploded with outrage, with Kenyans from all walks of life dragging Sifuna over what many saw as disrespect to party structures and betrayal of the unity narrative.
@PaulMagero8 blasted: “Whether you like it or not… ODM had founder members, and you were a toddler then,” reminding Sifuna of his place in the party’s history—and hinting at generational arrogance.”
Another user, Alfred, didn’t mince words: “This noisemaker should have resigned as of yesterday. He should be frog-marched out of Chungwa House.”
Accusations of hypocrisy, sabotage, and disloyalty have since swirled around the embattled Secretary-General, with critics questioning how one can continue to enjoy the party’s platform while openly undermining its decisions.
“Sifuna is not serious. His sentiments are not in agreement with those of RAO and other ODM leaders. He better resign,” read one of the many damning comments online.
The unfolding clash paints a picture of a party at war with itself, caught between maintaining political relevance through strategic cooperation and upholding the fierce independence that once defined it.
With Sifuna drawing a line in the sand and party loyalists calling for his ouster, ODM now faces an existential crisis: Is it still a movement rooted in resistance—or a party willing to compromise in pursuit of power?
One thing is clear—the mortician has left the room, but the political corpse is far from buried.
