Why Sifuna’s Senate leadership job hangs by a thread as ODM plot gathers steam

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna's position as Senate Deputy Minority Whip is under increasing threat with ODM leaders pushing for his removal following his ouster as the party's secretary general.

The latest developments signal an escalation of the internal battles within ODM, with Sifuna's continued criticism of ODM's cooperation agreement with President William Ruto's administration placing him on a collision course with the party leadership.

Sources within the Senate said ODM legislators are planning to petition the party leadership to convene a parliamentary group meeting to determine Sifuna's fate in the House leadership.

Under parliamentary procedures, changes to minority leadership require approval by the party before being communicated to the Speaker.

"It is a process. We must sit as a parliamentary group convened by the party. Thereafter, signatures will be taken,” Senate Minority Whip Ledama Olekina said.

“If the majority say he leaves, then that will be it. My work will be to communicate the decision to the Speaker," he added.

The push comes days after the Registrar of Political Parties John Lorionokoe upheld ODM's decision to remove Sifuna as the party's secretary general.

In a letter to the party, the registrar said the removal complied with both the Political Parties Act and the ODM constitution after reviewing documents submitted by the party and noting that Sifuna had not responded to the complaint.

"Upon review of the documents submitted by the party and the lack of response from Sifuna, we note that the removal of the party secretary general was in line with the Political Parties Act and the ODM party constitution," the registrar said.

Multiple parliamentary sources told the Star that the planned leadership changes are intended to align ODM's parliamentary team with the party's new political direction following its cooperation pact with Ruto.

"Yes, he is leaving. That I can assure you. The pressure is too much on us," a senior opposition legislator said.

According to the source, Sifuna is under pressure from both ODM and Kenya Kwanza allies.

"UDA wants him to go because he is not serving the interests of the broad-based government. But we in ODM also feel we have given him enough time to make up his mind. He has stagnated us. We now need to move with or without him," the source said.

The latest move follows last month's committee reshuffle in which Sifuna was removed from the influential Energy Committee and replaced by Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang'.

Unlike several other senators affected by the changes, Sifuna was not assigned to another committee, leaving him with membership in only the County Public Accounts Committee and the National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations Committee.

Although Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot described the reshuffle as routine, political observers interpreted it as part of a broader strategy to weaken Sifuna's influence within Parliament.

His removal from the Energy Committee was particularly significant because it is chaired by Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga, a leader with whom Sifuna has publicly disagreed over the party's direction.

Olekina, however, dismissed claims that the changes targeted Sifuna, saying they were made in consultation with the Nairobi senator.

Cheruiyot has also hinted that further changes could be made. "More changes are coming," he said.

Senate Minority Leader Stewart Madzayo also suggested that additional changes remain possible, saying leadership and committee assignments are reviewed whenever necessary.

"Making changes to leadership or committees of Parliament is a normal process. We have made the changes and more will come on a need basis," Madzayo said.