The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General, Edwin Sifuna, has stated that Kenya’s once-largest political party is mired in disarray and internal disagreements.
This makes it difficult for members and the general public to grasp the organization’s position on national issues.
In an interview with Citizen TV on Tuesday night, Sifuna revealed internal concerns and ideological discrepancies, wondering if ODM still speaks with one voice or represents the principles it once championed.
The outspoken Nairobi Senator admitted that articulating the party’s position on key principles is becoming increasingly challenging.
Sifuna attributes this to disconnected messaging and apparent sympathy for alternative political groups among some party members.
Sifuna confessed that, despite his position as ODM Secretary General, he is no longer able to speak authoritatively on crucial issues such as constitutional rights, devolution, and protest liberties.
“Right now, there is a lot of confusion. I have told my party leader that there was a time when it was very easy to be the SG of ODM…,” he said.
“You would wake me up in the middle of the night and ask me anything because we agreed that you can compromise on tactics, but you can never compromise on your values.” He added: “There are things that ODM stands for. When you ask me my position on devolution or rights under Article 37, I would give you the answer straight away.
“But right now, there is a lot of confusion because I come to this show and I struggle to explain that we are the same political party.” He noted that recent developments, such as ODM figures joining the government, have given confusing messages to the party’s members, undermining trust in its leadership.
“You see a member of ODM who used to be in a premier position, now he is the Cabinet Secretary, and it leaves our supporters very confused,” Sifuna said.
Sifuna apologized to ODM members for the chaos, blaming the party leadership, including himself, for failing to present a united front.
“I want to apologise to members of ODM for all the confusion we as a leadership have caused, because it is very difficult right now to discern the position of ODM on major issues. And that is the biggest sadness because it should be easy,” he stated
