NAIROBI, Kenya — Suba North Member of Parliament (MP) Millie Odhiambo says the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) may have inadvertently strengthened Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna by repeatedly attacking him following his removal as the party’s secretary-general.
Odhiambo, the National Assembly Minority Leader, said the political confrontation surrounding Sifuna had elevated him beyond ODM’s internal politics and positioned him for a potentially broader national contest ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking during a TikTok Live session with her followers on Thursday, August 20, Odhiambo argued that Sifuna’s growing political profile could now pose a challenge to other parties rather than to ODM itself.
“I think we just upped the game for Sifuna, and we have put him in the same league with the sitting President, so he is now a threat elsewhere and not in ODM,” she said.
Odhiambo said Sifuna’s political ambitions appeared to have shifted towards the presidency, arguing that ODM’s failure to settle on a presidential candidate had left space for him to pursue a national political platform of his own.
“I don’t think Sifuna is a threat to ODM because ODM has no presidential candidate and he is going for the presidential candidacy,” she said.
Odhiambo said she had previously warned ODM officials that removing Sifuna from his leadership position could have political consequences for the party.
According to the MP, some officials dismissed her concerns and believed the controversy surrounding Sifuna would fade within days.
She said subsequent events had proved otherwise, with the Nairobi senator continuing to attract attention months after his fallout with the party leadership.
Odhiambo has emerged as one of the more prominent ODM figures to publicly defend Sifuna, despite remaining within the opposition party.
Her position has drawn criticism from sections of the ODM leadership, with party leader Oburu Odinga previously urging her to clarify where her political allegiance lies.
Odhiambo also warned that Sifuna could affect ODM’s electoral performance in the 2027 elections if he establishes a new political vehicle.
She said candidates associated with Sifuna could potentially challenge ODM in constituencies and wards that the Orange party has traditionally regarded as strongholds.
The MP suggested that the impact could extend beyond Nairobi, arguing that Sifuna had developed support among sections of Western Kenya.
Her assessment, however, remains a political prediction and will be tested by the electoral contest ahead.
ODM has historically enjoyed significant support in parts of western Kenya, particularly in areas where the party has built longstanding political networks.
A new political formation associated with Sifuna could therefore complicate the opposition’s electoral calculations if it succeeds in attracting sitting leaders, local politicians or voters.
Sifuna’s relationship with ODM leadership deteriorated after disagreements over the party’s political direction and his position on cooperation between sections of the opposition and the government.
The dispute eventually culminated in his removal as secretary-general during an ODM National Executive Committee meeting in Vipingo.
Odhiambo was among the NEC members who opposed his removal.
Former ODM deputy party leader and Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi said Odhiambo, Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo and ODM treasurer Timothy Bosire were among those who opposed the decision.
The majority, however, backed Sifuna’s removal.
The development deepened an already visible split between the senator and the party establishment and raised questions about his political future.
Sifuna has increasingly presented himself as a national political figure rather than simply an ODM official.
His high-profile public appearances, political commentary and growing following have fuelled speculation that he could seek a bigger role in the 2027 presidential contest.
For now, however, his political vehicle and the precise position he intends to contest remain matters of speculation.
Odhiambo’s comments suggest that the controversy may already be producing an unintended consequence for ODM: turning an internal party dispute into a platform for Sifuna to build an independent national identity.
Also Read: How Sifuna’s ODM faction Linda Mwananchi is reshaping Kenya’s opposition politics
That could become significant as political parties begin positioning themselves for the 2027 election.
ODM now faces a potentially difficult political calculation.
Attempts to marginalise Sifuna may weaken his influence within the party but could simultaneously give him greater visibility outside it.
If he launches a new political vehicle and attracts established politicians from ODM’s traditional support base, the party could face competition in constituencies where it has historically been dominant.
Odhiambo’s intervention therefore points to a broader question facing Kenya’s opposition ahead of 2027: can established parties contain internal dissent without creating new political rivals outside their structures?
For Sifuna, the answer may depend on whether the attention generated by his ODM fallout can be converted into an organised political movement.
For ODM, the coming months could reveal whether his departure represents a temporary internal dispute — or the beginning of a more consequential realignment ahead of the 2027 polls.
