NAIROBI – Edwin Sifuna, Secretary General of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), has issued a public apology to party supporters, admitting growing confusion over ODM’s current political direction.
Speaking during a candid interview on Citizen TV, the Nairobi Senator said the once-clear role of the opposition party has grown murky, especially after some ODM leaders took up Cabinet positions in President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza government.
“There was a time when being Secretary General of ODM was straightforward,” Sifuna said. “But now, I come to the media or public forums and struggle to explain what ODM stands for. Meanwhile, a fellow party member who is now a Cabinet Secretary says the exact opposite. That leaves our supporters confused.”
Sifuna acknowledged that the mixed messages have eroded public confidence in the party’s stance on key national matters.
“I want to apologise to members of ODM for all the confusion we as a leadership have caused,” he said. “It’s very difficult right now to discern the position of ODM on major issues, and that is the biggest sadness.”
He added that ODM, once firmly in opposition, is now seen as straddling two worlds — supporting government positions while also claiming to champion the interests of the opposition. That, he said, is a contradiction he can no longer ignore.
“You can compromise on tactics, but never on values,” he said. “There are things that ODM stands for — and under Raila’s leadership, I’ve always known what those are. But every time we’re seen working with the current regime in ways that don’t reflect our core beliefs, it becomes too much.”
Sifuna revealed that he has privately shared his concerns with party leader Raila Odinga, whom he respectfully referred to as “Baba.” He said their conversations have been honest and ongoing.
“I’ve spoken to Baba about my frustrations and the difficulty of having to explain what we are doing with this regime,” he said. “It’s not just me. Kenyans across the country are speaking — and they’re telling us this relationship is hurting our political party.”
Sifuna did not name specific individuals, but his comments were seen as a veiled critique of ODM members currently serving in government roles, whose statements have, at times, contradicted the party’s official position.
Despite his frustrations, Sifuna stopped short of calling for a full break from the Kenya Kwanza alliance. Instead, he appealed for consistency and clearer communication from within the party leadership.
In a political climate where alliances shift quickly and public trust is easily lost, Sifuna’s frankness offered a rare moment of introspection from a senior figure in one of Kenya’s largest parties.
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