Orengo Blasts Ruto's Influence in ODM Turmoil, Backs Sifuna as Legitimate Secretary-General
Siaya Governor James Orengo has firmly declared that Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna remains the legitimate Secretary-General of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), urging party members and the public not to be misled by recent developments.
Speaking amid escalating internal wrangles, Orengo insisted that Sifuna continues to hold the position lawfully and that any contrary claims are baseless. He described the ongoing attempts to sideline Sifuna as part of a broader effort to undermine the party’s established leadership structure.
Orengo directly pointed the finger at President William Ruto as the central cause of ODM’s current troubles, accusing him of exerting undue influence over the party’s affairs. While clarifying that Ruto has not formally taken the party hostage, the governor asserted that the President is effectively “in possession of it” by orchestrating meetings and decisions that deliberately exclude key officials such as Sifuna and Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi. Orengo appealed to Ruto to step back and “let it go,” arguing that continued interference threatens ODM’s independence and its role as a genuine opposition force.
The remarks come against a backdrop of intense factional fighting within ODM, following the controversial ousting of Sifuna by a section of the National Executive Committee. Orengo’s stance aligns with Sifuna’s own rejection of the move as unconstitutional, and it underscores growing fears among loyalists that the party is being realigned to serve external interests ahead of future elections. With legal challenges and public rallies on the horizon, Orengo’s intervention highlights the deepening divide and the battle to preserve ODM’s original identity in the post-Raila Odinga era.
