The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has welcomed a ruling by the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) that allows the party to proceed with disciplinary proceedings against its Secretary General, Senator Edwin Sifuna.
This is amarking a significant development in an internal dispute that has simmered for months.
In a statement issued on Thursday, ODM Executive Director Oduor Ong’wen said the Tribunal had dismissed an application by Senator Sifuna and directed the party to proceed with and conclude any disciplinary proceedings lawfully initiated against him.
“Today's judgment is a significant reaffirmation of the doctrine of exhaustion, which requires parties to first exhaust available internal dispute resolution mechanisms before seeking the intervention of external adjudicative bodies,” Ong’wen said.
The dispute dates back to February 11, 2026, when ODM's National Executive Committee (NEC) initiated a process to remove Sifuna as the party's Secretary General. The following day, the Nairobi Senator moved to the PPDT and obtained interim orders restraining the party from commencing any process aimed at his removal pending the hearing and determination of the matter.
However, in a ruling delivered on March 26, 2026, the Tribunal dismissed Sifuna's application and directed both parties to subject themselves to ODM's Internal Dispute Resolution Mechanism (IDRM), including the party's constitutional right to undertake disciplinary proceedings.
According to ODM, before the party could fully engage its internal mechanisms, Sifuna returned to the Tribunal seeking fresh orders to halt the process that the court had earlier directed the parties to pursue.
On April 9, 2026, the Tribunal clarified that ODM was free to proceed with hearing and determining the disciplinary case against Sifuna but was barred from communicating or implementing any decision arising from the process until the application challenging the IDRM was heard and determined.
The latest judgment now removes that restriction.
“This afternoon, the Tribunal dismissed Senator Sifuna's application, reaffirming the principle that internal party processes should be allowed to run their course without undue interference,” Ong’wen stated.
He added that all interim orders previously obtained by the Senator had been vacated, paving the way for the party to continue with the disciplinary proceedings.
The ruling is expected to reignite debate within ODM, one of Kenya's largest political parties, over internal democracy, party discipline and leadership accountability. Political parties in Kenya are required under the Political Parties Act to establish internal mechanisms for resolving disputes before members can seek intervention from external bodies such as the PPDT.
Legal experts have often cited the doctrine of exhaustion as a cornerstone of dispute resolution, arguing that it helps institutions resolve conflicts internally while reducing unnecessary litigation.
The Tribunal's decision is therefore seen as a reaffirmation of the autonomy of political parties to manage their affairs in accordance with their constitutions and governing rules.
“The decision underscores the importance of respecting and allowing political parties to exercise their constitutionally and statutorily recognized mandate to manage their internal affairs,” Ong’wen said.
