Pressure on Sifuna as battle for ODM soul reaches breaking point

Nearly a year after the death of the party's longtime leader, Raila Odinga, the struggle over his political legacy has exposed deep ideological and leadership divisions that now threaten to split the outfit.

The sharp exchanges between the rival Linda Ground and Linda Mwananchi camps in recent weeks suggest the political divorce is no longer a question of if, but when.

The Linda Ground faction, led by party leader Oburu Odinga, says it has run out of patience with dissenting members and is ready to move forward without them.

"We have given them enough time to make up their minds. We need to move on," Kilifi Senator and Senate Minority Leader Stewart Madzayo said.

"If you loved Baba, why leave his party? If you don't want Ruto, that doesn't mean you hate ODM. Remain in ODM but make your position clear."

On the other hand, the Linda Mwananchi faction, led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, has intensified its attacks on the party leadership, describing it as "rotten" and accusing it of abandoning the ideals upon which ODM was founded.

They are suggesting teaming up with the United Opposition ahead of the polls.

Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi delivered one of the strongest attacks yet on the current ODM leadership.

"I want to advise Sifuna that ODM is rotten. There is no need for you to defend the secretary-general seat in court," Osotsi said.

The party is now split between leaders who support cooperation with President William Ruto through the broad-based government arrangement and those insisting ODM must remain a firm opposition party.

Oburu's camp has embraced the working relationship with Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration.

On the other hand, Linda Mwananchi faction—comprising Sifuna, Siaya Governor James Orengo, Osotsi and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino—argues the party has betrayed its historic mission as the country's leading opposition movement.

The hardening positions come months after Sifuna declared he would not serve as ODM secretary general under Oburu, describing the new leadership as "mediocrity."

This comes even as opposition leaders pile up pressure on Linda Mwananchi to decamp from the ODM party and team up with them.

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and DAP-Kenya leader Eugene Wamalwa have openly asked Sifuna and his allies to abandon ODM and formally join the opposition coalition being assembled ahead of the 2027 general election.

Speaking at his Wamunyoro home while meeting DCP delegates from Nairobi, Gachagua questioned why Sifuna continued fighting to remain in a party that had repeatedly attempted to remove him.

"Wewe Sifuna, unangoja nini? Hii jamaa amekuhangaisha. Why are you waiting? Si ukuje pahali wananchi wako?" Gachagua asked.

Wamalwa said time was running out for opposition leaders to remain trapped in internal party disputes.

"We have been with ODM members in Azimio alongside Kalonzo Musyoka. But they left us and joined the government. There are our colleagues in ODM with whom we still share political ideals," he said.

Addressing Sifuna, Orengo and Osotsi directly, Wamalwa urged them to stop fighting court battles and instead join the opposition alliance.

"You can continue fighting in court up to next year. But we only have next month before we get into the election year," he said.

"If things have become too difficult in ODM, be free and come join us."

The calls come as Sifuna remains locked in a legal battle over the office of secretary-general.

ODM has twice voted to remove him from the position.

The first attempt was nullified by the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal after finding procedural flaws in the process.

However, the party convened another meeting and again voted to remove him, setting the stage for another court challenge.

Political observers say the legal dispute has become only one aspect of a much larger struggle over the future of the party.

The contest is increasingly seen as a battle over who defines ODM in the post-Raila era.

For years, Raila's authority held together competing regional interests, ideological differences and ambitious political figures.

His absence has exposed tensions that had long been managed but never fully resolved.

Osotsi argues that the current leadership has abandoned the party's inclusive character and sidelined leaders from the Western region.

"Since Raila died, this ODM has despised us. They pushed out Sifuna. Even after the court stopped them, they sat the following day again and removed him," Osotsi said.

"ODM has despised Luhyas after Raila's death. We were strong supporters of ODM."

Sifuna has remained equally uncompromising.

During the Linda Mwananchi faction's People's National Delegates Convention in March, he ruled out serving under Oburu's leadership.

"It has been the honour of my life to be the secretary general of probably the greatest politician this country will ever see, Raila Amollo Odinga," he said.

"Do you expect me to serve as ODM secretary-general under mediocrity? Oburu should look for his own secretary general. I will not be the SG of mediocrity."

Although he has stopped short of resigning from ODM, Sifuna has increasingly focused on efforts to unite opposition leaders ahead of next year's elections.

He maintains that defeating Ruto will require a single opposition presidential candidate instead of multiple contestants splitting the vote.

"Kenyans are suffering and have told us they want fresh leadership," Sifuna said recently.

"We don't want a ballot paper with many names. We only need two names—the incumbent and one opposition candidate. That will follow deep talks."

His growing engagement with opposition leaders has fuelled speculation that he is preparing to play a prominent role in the coalition expected to challenge Ruto's reelection bid.

Leaders allied to Oburu have accused Sifuna of working with former President Uhuru Kenyatta to destabilise ODM and undermine Ruto's re-election prospects.

Sifuna has dismissed the accusations. "I'm not being funded by Uhuru. I am funded by the people," he said.

"We have a public website and can account for every contribution we receive."

INSTANT ANALYSIS

ODM's post-Raila succession battle has become a defining test of the party's future. The dispute is no longer about the secretary-general's office but about ideology, leadership and whether ODM remains in government or returns to its opposition roots. Pressure on Edwin Sifuna to defect is mounting as rival camps harden their positions. A split could significantly reshape opposition politics, coalition negotiations and regional voting dynamics ahead of the 2027 General Election, with consequences extending well beyond.