The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is facing its gravest existential crisis in a decade as the acrimonious removal of Secretary General Edwin Sifuna sparks a rebellion that threatens to tear the party apart.

What began as a boardroom coup has exploded into a full-blown grassroots revolt. The decision by the National Executive Committee (NEC) to unceremoniously dump the combative Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has opened a Pandora’s box of grievances, exposing deep fractures within the party’s hierarchy. As news of the ouster spread, party offices across the country reported a wave of resignations, with key regional coordinators and youth leaders walking out in solidarity with the ousted scribe.

The Mulembe Factor

The most immediate casualty of this political bloodletting is ODM’s stronghold in Western Kenya. Sifuna, a fiery orator and a son of the Mulembe nation, was seen as the region’s primary stakeholder in the party’s high command. His removal is being interpreted not just as an administrative change, but as a direct affront to the Luhya community.

• The Warning Signs: Political analyst Harrison Kinyanjui had warned days prior that Sifuna’s removal would be a "red line" for the Mulembe support base. That prediction is now unfolding in real-time.
• Regional Revolt: Reports from Bungoma, Kakamega, and Vihiga indicate that local branches are paralyzing party activities, refusing to recognize the interim leadership of Catherine Omanyo.

A Party at War with Itself

The appointment of Busia Woman Representative Catherine Omanyo as interim Secretary General has done little to quell the unrest. Instead, it has been viewed as a desperate band-aid on a gaping wound. Insiders suggest that the coup was orchestrated by a faction keen on softening the party’s stance towards the government, a move that Sifuna reportedly resisted.

With Raila Odinga’s family reportedly split on the matter—his daughter Winnie Odinga stood by Sifuna during his press briefing—the chaos is now personal as well as political. The "Orange" brand, once a symbol of defiance and discipline, is now synonymous with dysfunction. If the exodus continues, ODM risks being reduced to a regional shell, stripping it of the national clout it has wielded for twenty years.