The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has dismissed Senator Edwin Sifuna as its Secretary General.
ODM made the announcement on Wednesday, February 11, following a National Executive Council meeting.
Sifuna will leave his office with immediate effect and will be replaced by Catherine Omanyo.
"The Party National Executive Committee meeting in Mombasa today has resolved to relieve SG Edwin Sifuna of his responsibilities with immediate effect.
"Effectively, Hon. Catherine Omanyo, who is one of the Deputy Secretary Generals, will act in this position until a substantive holder of the office is elected," the statement read in part.
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ODM Deputy Party Leader Abdulswamad Shariff explained Sifuna was dismissed over his constant disrespect for the Party Leader, Oburu Odinga.
He reported that Sifuna and his brigade had questioned the appointment of Oburu as the party leader despite due process being taken.
"It is immoral for anyone to challenge the validity of Oburu Odinga in private or in public. No one can claim to be oxygen, without which we cannot live. Anyone is replaceable in this party," the Shariff declared.
In an earlier address, Senator Odinga had warned some leaders that the party would take action against those who publicly undermine the party.
Odinga accused dissenters, including those within the party leadership ranks, of making statements in contradiction to what the party stood for.
Sifuna's dismissal was imminent as he publicly challenged the working partnership between ODM and President William Ruto's UDA.
Leaders across the political divide reacted differently to the news. Those who leaned towards Oburu's side lauded the move to dismiss Sifuna, while those who sided with the Senator termed it as part of a political masterplan.
"When people begin to understand the playbook, they twist the plot. The goal stays the same, but it comes with a new face, new slogans, and a different look. It’s the same plan, just disguised as change," MP Peter Salasya stated.
Homa Bay MP Peter Kaluma claimed the dismissal was long overdue and asked ODM to remove him from Parliamentary leadership in the Senate.
"He left ODM for Gachagua long ago and just remained to wreck the party from within. Let him also be removed from House Leadership like UDA removed Khalwale. Good riddance!" Kaluma wrote.
The Nairobi Senator has been the Orange Party's Secretary-General since February 2018, after taking over from Ababu Namwamba.
