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In a move that signals deepening rifts within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna has issued a stern ultimatum, declaring he will resign from his position and leave the party if it opts to support President William Ruto's re-election bid in 2027.
The Nairobi Senator made the pronouncement on Sunday while speaking at a women's empowerment forum in Trans Nzoia County.
His remarks escalate the growing unease among a section of ODM members regarding the party's current working relationship with the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna
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"I will read all the resolutions made by owners of ODM except one," Sifuna stated emphatically.
"The day they pass a resolution that ODM will support the president in 2027, I want to promise you before God, I will not read that one," he added.
Flanked by other like-minded legislators, including Saboti MP Caleb Amisi, Sifuna hinted at the possibility of charting a new political course.
The group suggested the formation of an alternative political front dedicated to advancing what they termed as the people's agenda, should their party align with the current administration.
This public declaration from a top-ranking official exposes the ideological fault lines within ODM, which entered into a cooperative arrangement with President Ruto's UDA party to implement the recommendations of the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report.
While ODM leader Raila Odinga and the party's top brass have defended the pact as a necessary step for national unity and development, it has been met with scepticism and outright opposition from a vocal faction.
Sifuna has been a consistent critic of any potential long-term alliance with President Ruto.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna
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Earlier in February 2025, he was on record stating he would not personally vote for Ruto in 2027, even if directed to do so by the party leader.
In late July, Sifuna also declared that ODM's pact with President Ruto was dead, triggering a crisis meeting of the party's central management committee.
However, flanked by Odinga and other senior officials, Sifuna presented a declaration that committed the party to continue engaging with the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition.
To expedite this cooperation, the ODM Central Management Committee resolved to establish a technical team to work with UDA counterparts on implementing the 10-point agenda of the MOU.
The statement identified the previous absence of such a committee as "the missing link in the implementation of the document."
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna
His latest threat to quit, however, marks his most significant challenge yet to the party's leadership and its current political trajectory.
The ODM party leadership has yet to issue a formal response to the Secretary-General's weekend remarks.
The ultimatum puts the party at a crossroads, forcing a difficult conversation about its future political alliances and its strategy for the 2027 general election.
As the country's political landscape continues to shift, Sifuna's bold stance is likely to catalyse further debate and potential realignments within one of Kenya's major political outfits.