In a move that comes amid ongoing tension within the ODM Party, Leader Oburu Oginga met with Secretary General Edwin Sifuna on Wednesday, January 7.
In a statement following the meeting, Oburu noted that Sifuna remains a sober and principled voice within the party.
"I met with my friend, Senator Edwin Sifuna the Secretary General of the ODM Party this morning. He remains a sober and principled voice, embodying the democratic ideals we believe in as a party. We are one. We are united as the ODM Party," he said.
Oburu also highlighted the importance of open dialogue and the role of young leaders in shaping ODM’s future.
"As a leader, I believe we must encourage everyone to speak their mind. Differences of opinion do not mean division. Great parties, like ODM, grow through robust debate and unique challenges. That is where the progress and continuity of our party truly lie: in the hands of our young people," he added.
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This comes days after a group of ODM Members of Parliament raised alarm over growing political intolerance, violence, and internal discord within the party.
In a statement to newsrooms on Monday, January 5, the MPs warned that the trend poses a threat to national stability and the party’s future ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The lawmakers said they are disturbed by aggressive national political rhetoric against leaders expressing dissenting views, citing a recent incident involving Lami Woman Rep Muthoni Marubu.
"We are deeply concerned with the emerging and escalating national rhetoric, degenerating into violence and intolerance as was recently witnessed in Murang’a where the Lamu County Woman Representative, Muthoni Marubu, was physically attacked for expressing her opinion on the 2027 presidential contest," the statement read.
They further pointed to alleged politically motivated confrontations involving Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, linking them to a pattern of violence witnessed in the political space recently.
According to the MPs, failure to urgently address the rising intolerance could plunge the country into widespread violence during the next 2027 polls.
"We have also been informed of an incident where Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai is alleged to have attacked and threatened to shoot Embakasi East MP, Hon Babu Owino, due to different political views. These incidents follow hot on the heels of the violence that was witnessed in the recent by-elections, especially in Kasipul Constituency, where, unfortunately, two people were killed.
"Unless urgent action is taken to stem these emerging and unfortunate incidents, 2027 will be rocked by untold violence that is likely to undermine free and fair elections," the statement added.
On infighting within ODM, the MPs said the party is suffering from the absence of unifying leadership and moral authority once provided by Raila Odinga.
They urged ODM members and leaders to recommit to unity and collective purpose, arguing that internal cohesion is essential as the party prepares for upcoming elections.
"ODM is the largest party in the country. We are further concerned by the spectacle of self-cannibalization that has been exhibited of late in our party. It is testament to how much we miss the wisdom and iconic leadership of our departed Raila Odinga, that divisive rhetoric has taken over our politics, without restraint.
"We call upon the party’s elected leadership and the wider membership to uphold the tenets of unity and camaraderie espoused by the late Raila Odinga. It is time to walk back on the rhetoric and come together to build a strong party ahead of next year’s elections," the statement further read.
The MPs also singled out Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Suna East MP Junet Mohamed, calling on them to tone down public attacks and resolve disagreements through an internal engagement.
They warned that continued infighting is creating political space for rival parties to gain ground at ODM’s expense.
"Given the positions of trust bestowed on them, we urge the party officials like Secretary General Senator Edwin Sifuna and National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed, to desist from public verbal slurs and return to the table for internal discussions. We encourage the Party Leader to call for an internal 'spitting session' to avoid the on-going mud-fest.
"Even as we appear to self-cannibalize, we can’t help but curiously observe that small parties are aggressively and strategically moving to occupy the spaces previously held by our beloved ODM party," the statement continued.
The MPs called on the party’s top leadership to urgently convene ODM organs to stabilize the party and prevent further loss of members and public confidence.
"It is for this reason that we request our party leader, Dr Oburu Odinga, to move with speed, convene the party’s organs and help restore public confidence in the party, before we begin to hemorrhage members to insignificant political formations. The current intolerance does not augur well for a revolutionary movement that Raila Odinga founded on the ideals of democracy, free speech and justice," the statement concluded.
