The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal temporarily halted the removal of Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna as ODM Secretary General, issuing interim orders stopping the implementation and gazettement of the party’s Wednesday resolution .
Acting chairperson Gad Gathu certified Sifuna’s application as urgent on Thursday, ruling that the resolution passed by ODM’s National Executive Committee in Mombasa on February 11 cannot take effect pending inter partes hearing of the matter .
“That pending the hearing and determination of this instant application, inter partes, this Honourable Tribunal hereby issues orders staying the implementation of the resolution made by the National Executive Committee of the Orange Democratic Movement Party on 11th February, 2026 to remove Edwin Sifuna as the Secretary General of the party,” Gathu ruled.
The Tribunal further restrained ODM and the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties from publishing the resolution in the Kenya Gazette.
ODM and the Registrar have been given seven days to file responses, with Sifuna granted three days to reply.
The matter will be mentioned on February 26 for further directions.
The legal intervention came just hours after Sifuna, flanked by Siaya Governor James Orengo, EALA MP Winnie Odinga, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and Deputy Party Leader Godfrey Osotsi, declared he would not vacate office and vowed to challenge what he termed an “illegal and unprocedural” decision .
“My only crime is that I oppose any plans and schemes within the party to support President William Ruto’s re-election,” Sifuna said, accusing a faction led by party leader Oburu Oginga of attempting to silence dissent.
Owino said “The war has been declared. A line has been drawn. If you are on our side, you are on our side. If you are on the other side, then fight on the other side” .
The MP challenged the legitimacy of the Mombasa NEC meeting, describing it as irregular and lacking due process, arguing that office holders cannot remove a Secretary General without following the party constitution .
ODM Deputy Party Leader Abdulswamad Nassir, however, dismissed claims of external interference, insisting the decision was solely the party’s and that Sifuna had the right to appeal .
“It is immoral for anyone to challenge the validity of Oburu Odinga in private or in public. No one is indispensable in this party,” Nassir said .
The NEC had on Wednesday appointed Deputy Secretary General Catherine Omanyo as acting Secretary General, citing concerns over discipline and Sifuna’s public opposition to ODM’s working relationship with President Ruto’s UDA party .
ODM chairman Oburu Oginga, who chaired the NEC meeting, maintained that the decision was grounded in the party constitution and that no individual is above its structures.
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