NAIROBI, Kenya — Rarieda Member of Parliament Otiende Amollo has defended the Orange Democratic Movement’s (ODM) decision to remove Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna from his position as Secretary-General, insisting that the party followed due process and accorded him a fair opportunity to respond to allegations against him.
Speaking after the ODM National Executive Committee (NEC) endorsed Sifuna’s removal, Amollo said the decision was based on recommendations contained in a report submitted by the party’s Internal Dispute Resolution Committee (IDRC).
According to the legislator, the committee established that Sifuna had been given sufficient time and opportunity to defend himself before a final determination was reached.
“As the National Executive Committee, we were presented with a report of our internal disciplinary committee. In that report, they made it very clear that they had given ample opportunity to Senator Edwin Sifuna to respond,” Amollo said.
He added that the senator had formally responded to the allegations through his legal representatives, which the committee considered during its deliberations.
“He actually responded through his lawyers, and therefore, the question of procedural fairness has been taken care of. He was allowed to respond,” he added.
NEC endorses disciplinary committee findings
The ODM National Executive Committee announced on Monday that it had unanimously adopted the recommendations of the Internal Dispute Resolution Committee, effectively ending Sifuna’s tenure as the party’s Secretary-General.
The resolution was read by acting Secretary-General Catherine Omanyo following a meeting of the party’s top decision-making organ.
According to Omanyo, the IDRC had been constituted under Article 51.3(f) of the ODM constitution to investigate and determine a complaint lodged against Sifuna in his capacity as Secretary-General.
“The NEC received and considered the report of the party’s Internal Dispute Resolution Committee and, after going through the findings under Article 74(2) of the party constitution, unanimously resolved to adopt the committee’s recommendations and endorsed the removal from office of Senator Edwin Watenya Sifuna,” Omanyo said.
She noted that the decision took immediate effect, meaning Sifuna ceased to hold the office of Secretary-General upon adoption of the resolution.
Party cites internal discipline
In defending its position, ODM cited observations made by the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) regarding the importance of accountability and discipline within political parties.
The party quoted the tribunal as warning against situations where party officials become immune from internal disciplinary mechanisms.
“The day any official of a party becomes above the law, so to speak, will be the day of the funeral of political party democracy in Kenya. If such a situation were to occur as a matter of fact, this tribunal would never sanction the same by law, for such would be an affront to the law,” the tribunal stated.
The tribunal also noted that courts and quasi-judicial bodies should be cautious about interfering with internal party processes, arguing that excessive intervention could amount to micromanaging political parties.
Questions over fairness remain
The latest development comes just days after the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal ruled that Sifuna had not been accorded a fair hearing before an earlier attempt to remove him from office.
That ruling had raised questions about the legality and procedural fairness of the disciplinary process, prompting renewed scrutiny of ODM’s handling of the matter.
Also Read: Sifuna removed from Senate Energy Committee in fresh ODM power struggle
However, Amollo maintains that the latest process addressed those concerns and complied with the party’s constitutional requirements.
The ODM NEC concluded its announcement by wishing Sifuna well in his future political and professional engagements.
“We take this opportunity to wish our former Secretary-General well in his future endeavours and engagements,” Omanyo said.
Sifuna had not publicly responded to the NEC’s latest decision by press time, but the move is expected to trigger fresh debate within ODM and Kenya’s wider political landscape as the party navigates internal leadership changes ahead of future political contests.
