ODM SG Sifuna admits 'confusion' in the party, apologizes to members

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has admitted that the once-perceived largest political party in the country is grappling with confusion and internal contradictions, making it difficult for both its members and the public to understand its stance on national issues.

Speaking in an interview on ‘The Explainer’ show on Citizen TV on Tuesday night, Sifuna laid bare internal frustrations and ideological contradictions, questioning whether ODM still speaks in one voice or stands for the values it once championed.

The outspoken Nairobi Senator acknowledged that he now finds it difficult to articulate the party’s position on core principles, a situation he blames on disjointed messaging and apparent support for rival political formations by some party members.

Sifuna admitted that even he, despite being ODM Secretary General, can no longer speak authoritatively on the party’s position on key matters, including constitutional rights, devolution, and protest freedoms.

“Right now, there is a lot of confusion. I have told my party leader that there was a time when it was very easy to be the SG of ODM… You would wake me up in the middle of the night and ask me anything because we agreed that you can compromise on tactics, but you can never compromise on your values,” he said.

“There are things that ODM stands for. When you ask me my position on devolution or rights under Article 37, I would give you the answer straight away. But right now, there is a lot of confusion because I come to this show and I struggle to explain that we are the same political party.”

He added that recent developments—including ODM figures joining the government—have sent mixed signals to the party’s supporters and eroded trust in its leadership.

“You see a member of ODM who used to be in a premier position, now he is the Cabinet Secretary, and it leaves our supporters very confused,” Sifuna said.

In a rare moment of contrition, Sifuna apologised to ODM members for the disarray, blaming the party leadership – including himself - for failing to project a unified front.

“I want to apologise to members of ODM for all the confusion we as a leadership have caused, because it is very difficult right now to discern the position of ODM on major issues. And that is the biggest sadness—because it should be easy,” he stated.

“When you hear a member of ODM proposing a bill saying, ‘Oh, we want to limit the rights under Article 37,’ what is ODM without Article 37? Without street protests? ODM is a movement that has been built on the strengths of the people.”

Sifuna also revealed that he had declined to join a team recently proposed to review the implementation of the controversial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ODM and UDA, terming the deal dead on arrival.

“There was a proposal to have a team to review the implementation of the MoU between UDA and ODM. I have asked respectfully to be left out of that team because I already declared this MoU dead. I am not a mortician,” Sifuna noted.

Despite the challenges, Sifuna insisted he would not resign yet, holding on to hope that the party could still reclaim its former glory.

“The reason I will not resign yet is that I have not given up. I have not given up on members of ODM, because ODM is a mass movement and has a registered membership of over 5 million people,” he said.

“On the day that I give up, I will tell you. I will say it publicly that I have lost the battle to rescue this party and to bring it back to where it was—and we will have lost collectively as members.”

Sifuna said ODM’s strength lies in its grassroots base, not just its 160 elected leaders, and called for a return to the party’s founding principles.

“ODM has a total complement of about 160 elected MPs, but compare that to the 5 million in the grassroots. ODM as an institution has existed for more than 20 years, and you cannot just give up and quit,” stated Sifuna.