The Treasury CS has called for the immediate expulsion of the ODM Secretary General, accusing him of sabotage and serving foreign interests in a blistering attack.

The cracks within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) have widened into a chasm, with National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi launching a scathing attack on the party’s Secretary-General, Edwin Sifuna. Speaking in Suba South, Homa Bay County, Mbadi did not mince his words, demanding the immediate expulsion of Sifuna and his allies. The former ODM Chairman accused Sifuna of leading a "rebel" faction that is actively undermining the party’s unity and its cooperation with the government.

At the center of the storm is the controversial "Linda Wananchi" initiative, a series of rallies led by Sifuna, Siaya Governor James Orengo, and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino. This faction has been vocally critical of the current broad-based government arrangement, which saw key ODM figures, including Mbadi, join President Ruto’s cabinet. Mbadi characterized Sifuna’s actions as those of a "conflicted" leader who is "selling the agenda of someone else."

"You Cannot Serve Two Masters"

Mbadi’s ultimatum to the party leadership, specifically to Party Leader Oburu Oginga, was clear: convene the Central Management Committee and show the rebels the door. [...](asc_slot://start-slot-29)"If someone does not want to agree with ODM policies, that person should be left to go so that we know how many people he is leaving with," Mbadi thundered. He argued that Sifuna’s continued presence in the party secretariat is untenable while he actively campaigns against the party’s strategic direction.

The Treasury CS dismissed the "Linda Wananchi" campaign as baseless, viewing it as a vehicle for personal ambition rather than genuine public advocacy. [...](asc_slot://start-slot-31)He insisted that ODM remains solid and will continue its partnership with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) despite the noise from the detractors. [...](asc_slot://start-slot-33)"Some people think we cannot play politics. [...](asc_slot://start-slot-35)We will, and we will ensure we talk to our people to remain steadfast," he asserted.

• The Accusation: Mbadi claims Sifuna is effectively a mole, working for "rival interests" (implicitly the United Opposition) while drawing a salary and holding influence within ODM.
• The Split: The party is now effectively divided into two camps: the pro-government faction led by Oburu Oginga and the cabinet secretaries, and the radical "resistance" wing led by Sifuna and Orengo.
• The Stakes: With the next general election on the horizon, this internal war threatens to tear the orange party apart, potentially dissolving the support base that Raila Odinga spent decades building.

The Ghost of Raila

Both sides claim to be the true custodians of Raila Odinga’s legacy. Mbadi insists that the broad-based government is what Raila would have wanted to stabilize the country. Sifuna’s camp argues that collaborating with the Ruto administration is a betrayal of the "mwananchi" (citizen) that the party swore to protect. This ideological battle is no longer being fought in boardrooms but on public podiums, with the rank-and-file membership caught in the crossfire.

As the pressure mounts on Oburu Oginga to act, the expulsion of a Secretary-General would be a nuclear option, likely triggering a formal split. For Mbadi, however, the time for diplomacy is over. The message from Suba South is simple: shape up or ship out.