The battle for the soul of the Orange Democratic Movement reaches a boiling point in Mombasa as Acting Leader Oburu Oginga fights to prevent a total implosion amid a ruthless plot to purge Secretary General Edwin Sifuna.

The political humidity in Mombasa is matched only by the rising temperature inside the ODM National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting. Oburu Oginga, the elder statesman tasked with steering the orange ship through choppy waters, finds himself playing firefighter in a house that appears ready to burn down. At the heart of the conflict is the polarizing figure of Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, a man whose sharp tongue and refusal to toe the "cooperation" line with the government has made him a target for a powerful faction within the party.

The Ideological Schism

This is not merely a personality clash; it is a war over the very identity of Kenya’s largest opposition party. On one side sits the "Broad-Based Government" faction, which advocates for closer ties with President William Ruto’s administration—a strategy they argue brings development. On the other side is the Sifuna-led "Orthodox" wing, which maintains that ODM must remain a watchdog, not a lapdog. The friction has sparked speculation that today’s meeting in Mombasa is the staging ground for Sifuna’s ouster.

"I serve at the pleasure of the party," Sifuna was heard saying defiantly before the session. "But I will not apologize for speaking the truth. If the price of integrity is my seat, then it is a cheap price to pay."

• The Plot Thickens: Insiders claim a petition to remove Sifuna has been circulating, allegedly orchestrated by MPs who have already secured cabinet slots or state favors.
• The Oburu Factor: As the brother of the late Raila Odinga, Oburu carries the moral authority of the dynasty. His challenge is to discipline the rebels without alienating the youthful base that Sifuna commands.
• The 2027 Calculus: With the next general election on the horizon, a fractured ODM would be catastrophic. The party needs Sifuna’s energy, but the pro-government wing needs his silence.

A Party at the Crossroads

The outcome of this Mombasa retreat will define the future of opposition politics in Kenya. If Sifuna falls, it signals the final absorption of ODM into the government machinery, effectively killing the opposition. If he survives, it sets the stage for a prolonged internal guerrilla war that could cripple the party’s machinery.

As the NEC members retreat behind closed doors at the coastal resort, the ghost of Raila Odinga looms large. He was the glue that held these warring factions together. Without him, the center cannot hold. Oburu Oginga is trying to stitch the fabric back together, but the tear may already be too wide. The Orange party is ripening, but it risks rotting from the inside out.