Nairobi — Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga has warned of turbulent times ahead for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), backing Secretary General Edwin Sifuna and a group of leaders resisting closer ties with President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
In a statement on Thursday, Odinga defended Sifuna against mounting criticism within the party, saying attacks directed at him following a recent Citizen TV interview exposed shifting loyalties and growing intolerance of dissent inside ODM.
Sifuna and a section of legislators have been branded "rebels" for questioning the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in March 2025 between President Ruto and the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
But Ruth Odinga argued that raising concerns about the MoU's implementation and party transparency should not attract vilification.
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"He questions the very things we have been questioning," she said, dismissing online attacks against the Nairobi Senator.
"As a signatory to the ODM account, if he questions where the money for choppers, big tents and ODM-branded T-shirts and caps used at the 'Linda Ground' conventions is coming from, why should anyone abuse him?" she asked.
At the centre of the dispute are ODM consultative rallies branded Linda Ground forums, spearheaded by Acting Party Leader Oburu Oginga and Party Chairperson Gladys Wanga.
The meetings are meant to gather views on whether ODM should enter pre-coalition talks with UDA.
External funding
Sifuna, one of the signatories to ODM's bank accounts, has publicly stated that party funds were not used to finance the rallies, saying the last disbursement from ODM accounts went towards the party's 20th anniversary celebrations.
Ruth Odinga echoed those concerns, questioning the source of funds used to organise the large-scale events.
"Are governors funding the campaigns? Are MPs using CDF money? Or did we get a philanthropist that a party secretary-general is not aware of?" she posed, warning that opaque financing could amount to external control of party processes.
She further claimed that ODM is owed Sh12 billion in political party funding by the government, funds she said have not been released, arguing that reliance on unofficial financing undermines internal democracy.
Odinga also defended Sifuna's assertion that the MoU is effectively "dead," noting that fewer than 30 days remain before its expiry and that key commitments remain unfulfilled.
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"If the MoU has not been honoured, with less than 30 days to its expiry, what is so 'treasonous' in Sifuna publicly declaring it dead?" she asked, placing responsibility for implementation squarely on President Ruto as the principal signatory.
She cautioned ODM members pushing for closer ties with UDA to reflect on whether future agreements would be respected if the current one collapses.
Internal tensions have been compounded by disputes over leadership changes following Raila Odinga's death in October 2025.
Flawed transition
Sifuna has questioned the process through which Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga was installed as interim party leader, arguing it did not strictly adhere to the ODM constitution.
He said he was absent from the meeting that made the decision and maintained that deputy leaders should have assumed temporary leadership pending a special National Delegates Convention (NDC).
ODM is now increasingly split into two camps: one aligned with Sifuna and leaders such as Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, who favour exiting the broad-based government arrangement and positioning the party to challenge Ruto in 2027; and another led by Oburu Oginga, Wanga and other senior figures advocating negotiations with UDA to secure political leverage.
Oburu has defended his leadership and ODM's engagement with the government, saying negotiations are aimed at delivering development and representation for party supporters.
He has challenged critics to contest his position at a National Delegates Convention.
