The political landscape within Kenya’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is currently experiencing palpable tensions, highlighted by a public call for discipline from the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General, Francis Atwoli. In a candid statement, Atwoli urged ODM leader Raila Odinga to "crack the whip" on perceived "wayward party members," specifically targeting party Secretary General Edwin Sifuna.
Atwoli's stern admonition stems from Sifuna's vocal opposition to the party's perceived support for a "broad-based government" – an arrangement understood to be a working pact or Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ODM and President William Ruto's ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA). Atwoli expressed bewilderment at Sifuna being "spared" despite allegedly "not toeing the line" of the party's implied direction. In a sharp critique, Atwoli publicly stated, "I want to tell my in-law, Raila Odinga, to tell Sifuna to leave if he is tired of ODM. He should stop defying Raila and his party when he is still inside. He should not purport to speak for the Luhya community... We don't want restless leaders who pretend to know it all while in the real sense they don't." His remarks echoed a sentiment for traditional party loyalty, drawing a comparison to the steadfastness of past party officials.
This direct challenge to Sifuna's position comes hot on the heels of the Nairobi Senator's controversial public declaration that the ODM-UDA deal was, in his view, "dead." Sifuna's assertion, made during a recent television interview, cited continued police brutality – particularly the tragic death of blogger and teacher Albert Ojwang in police custody – as a fundamental breach of the MoU's core tenets, which he argues were designed to protect lives and safeguard democracy. He firmly stated that he was "not a mortician" to review a document he considered defunct, and that removing President Ruto from office had become the opposition's top priority.
What makes this internal party friction particularly intriguing is the response from the ODM party leader himself. Just days before Atwoli's public admonishment, Raila Odinga stepped forward to defend Sifuna against a chorus of harsh criticism from other ODM stalwarts. Speaking in Kakamega on Friday, July 25, Odinga emphasized that every party member possesses the constitutional right to express their opinion. He urged party members to engage in open dialogue rather than seeking to suppress differing views, even when such views challenge his own decisions. Odinga clarified that ODM fundamentally operates on democratic principles and does not muzzle voices from within its ranks.
Intriguingly, fresh reports indicate that Atwoli himself, despite his initial strong stance, may have nuanced his criticism after witnessing the significant grassroots support Edwin Sifuna commands among party delegates. This suggests a recognition of Sifuna's influence beyond just his official position, potentially complicating calls for his immediate disciplinary action.
