Siaya County Governor James Orengo has backed embattled ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, describing him as an invaluable asset to the party.
On Wednesday morning at a local TV station, Orengo defended Sifuna's vocal stance on party matters, stating that his presence as Secretary General is crucial to ODM's identity as a dynamic political organization.
When asked how the party is reconciling the new energy represented by Sifuna's outspoken nature with ODM's evolving political direction, Orengo dismissed suggestions of any conflict.
"I don't think it's a question of reconciling because it's still the Secretary General. And by the way, in terms of all these parties, I think ODM has got a Secretary General. If you are asked who is the Secretary General of these other parties, it will take you a little time to remember who they are," Orengo stated.
He praised Sifuna's contribution to the party's visibility and effectiveness.
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"He is a wonderful individual. And it would be a great loss not to have Sifuna as Secretary General. That's how dynamic the party is," the Governor emphasized.
Orengo compared ODM's internal structure to that of established democratic parties worldwide, noting that diversity of opinion is a strength rather than a weakness.
"Because in a lot of political parties, you have formations, you have caucuses. In the United States Democratic Party, it has caucuses, including the Black Caucus is generally, you know, they belong to the Democratic Party, save for one or two in the Republican Party," he explained.
The Governor rejected the notion that ODM should be a uniform entity without internal debate, clarifying its current relationship with the government.
"I don't think now we can say there's a donation. I think the proper thing to say is that we are in government, but not structurally."
Orengo's endorsement comes at a time when Sifuna faces mounting pressure within ODM following the party's contentious decision to join President William Ruto's broad-based government.
The move has created significant divisions within the Orange Party, with several veteran members appointed to Cabinet positions.
During a television interview, Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, a former ODM chairman, had questioned Sifuna's authority within the party, asserting that Raila Odinga's decisions remain final regardless of the Secretary General's position.
Sifuna himself has publicly acknowledged the party's internal challenges. During an interview in July, the Nairobi Senator admitted that ODM no longer maintains a unified voice and expressed uncertainty about the party's current ideological direction.
"Right now, there is a lot of confusion. I told my party leader that there was a time when it was easy to be the SG of ODM. You could wake me up at night, and I would answer any question because we never compromised on values," Sifuna had confessed.
