Oburu meets Sifuna as ouster bid falters

Senators Oburu Oginga and Edwin Sifuna. [ODM, X]

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Oburu Oginga met Secretary General Edwin Sifuna on Wednesday as a petition seeking to expel the Nairobi senator from the party collapsed.

Viral photos released by ODM showed Oburu and Sifuna sitting across from each other at a table in what appeared to be the latter's office.

"Secretary General, Senator Edwin Sifuna, this morning called on the Party Leader, Senator Oburu Oginga, at his office in Nairobi. Their meeting centred on the unity and the growth of the party," read the caption attached to the pair of photos.

The meeting came a day after Migori Senator Eddy Oketch withdrew his petition calling for Sifuna to be dewhipped from his position and expelled from the party. 

Oketch had accused Sifuna of imposing personal opinions on ODM despite his role as official spokesperson.

Speaking during an interview with a local station, Oketch revealed he retreated on Oburu's intervention but threatened to restart the process if internal squabbles rocking ODM are not resolved within a week.

"We are giving an ultimatum that within the next week, if these conversations are not resolved, then we must give party members clarity and remove the confusion," he noted.

Sifuna has repeatedly stated his opposition to President William Ruto and the Kenya Kwanza administration despite an ODM-UDA pact expected to lead to collaboration between the two parties in the 2027 elections.

A bitter public spat between Sifuna and National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed over alleged misappropriation of funds meant to pay agents during Raila Odinga's failed 2022 presidential run turned friendly fire into a fierce battle.

Sifuna accused Junet of pocketing the funds. The Suna East MP denied the allegation and instead blamed former President Uhuru Kenyatta for betrayal despite public support of their candidate.

Faced with a looming ouster, Sifuna defiantly dared his accusers to proceed with the plan.

"There is no one who can expel me from ODM," he said.