Political Storm Brews in ODM as Sifuna Tipped to Unveil New Party in March
Fresh divisions have emerged within Kenya’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) after political activist Kasmuel McOure claimed that the party’s Secretary General, Edwin Sifuna, is preparing to unveil a new political outfit as early as March.
In a statement shared on X on Friday, January 2, 2026, McOure alleged that Sifuna is distancing himself from ODM’s internal structures amid escalating tensions within the party, particularly over its direction ahead of the 2027 general election.
The activist accused senior party officials of engaging in public disagreements that have exposed deep cracks within the Raila Odinga-led outfit, warning that the infighting could destabilise ODM at a critical moment in the country’s political calendar.
McOure also criticised recent reports suggesting that ODM party leader Oburu Odinga could challenge President William Ruto for the presidency should the party opt to run independently in 2027. He argued that such reporting was misleading and risked embarrassing the party leadership.
“This is wrong reporting, deliberately framed to expose our Party Leader (@DrOburu_O) to public ridicule,” McOure said.
“The matter is constitutional, not personal. The ODM Party Constitution is clear, and Dr Oburu Oginga is merely restating its provisions. He is the Party’s Presidential candidate.”
According to McOure, the responsibility to clarify the party’s constitutional position lies with the Secretary General. Instead, he claimed Sifuna was focused on “appeasing detractors” while allegedly laying the groundwork for a new political vehicle.
“These are the facts the Secretary General ought to clarify. Instead, Sifuna is preoccupied with appeasing our detractors, as his camp prepares to unveil a new political vehicle in March,” he added.
Oburu Odinga has previously insisted that ODM’s constitution already settles the issue of its presidential flagbearer should the party contest the election independently, leaving no room for internal competition.
“If we are going it alone, ODM already has a candidate as stated in the constitution of our party,” Oburu said.
“It is the party leader, and it is the party leader speaking.”
He went further to caution aspirants harbouring presidential ambitions within ODM, urging them to seek alternative political platforms if they disagreed with the party’s internal rules.
“So, anybody preparing themselves to go for presidential elections in ODM, I think they are misplaced,” he said.
“If they want to go for presidential candidacy, they should look for another party because the presidential candidate has already been decided by the party constitution.”
Despite the growing pressure and speculation over defections, Edwin Sifuna and Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi have publicly dismissed claims that they are planning to leave ODM. Both leaders have remained outspoken critics of the broad-based government arrangement between President Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration and sections of the ODM leadership.
Sifuna and Osotsi have consistently argued that ODM risks losing its opposition identity by cooperating with the ruling coalition, a position that has placed them at odds with other senior figures within the party.
As ODM navigates its internal disagreements, questions continue to mount over its unity, leadership direction, and preparedness for the 2027 elections—issues that may define the future of one of Kenya’s most influential political movements.
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Political Storm Brews in ODM as Sifuna Tipped to Unveil New Party in March