The simmering fissures within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) have finally erupted into a full-blown purge. In a move that insiders describe as a "clinical execution" of dissent, Saboti MP Caleb Amisi has been unceremoniously stripped of his position in the National Executive Committee (NEC).

Officially, the party machine cites a "constitutional technicality"—a dual mandate conflict involving his chairmanship in Trans Nzoia. But make no mistake: this is not about administrative housekeeping.This is a calculated political decapitation aimed at silencing the growing chorus of voices questioning the party's deepening, and some say compromising, intimacy with the government of the day. Amisi's removal is the first tremor in what many predict will be a massive tectonic shift in the opposition's landscape.

The "Betrayal" Narrative Takes Root

The ouster comes just days before a high-stakes retreat in Mombasa, a timing that screams of Machiavellian strategy. Amisi has been a vocal critic of the "broad-based" government arrangement, a stance that has reportedly irked the party's old guard. By removing him from the NEC WhatsApp group—a modern-day excommunication—the leadership has sent a chilling message to other would-be rebels: toe the line or perish.

"You cannot be in government and in opposition at the same time," Amisi recently warned, a quote that has become the rallying cry for a faction of youthful MPs who feel the party is losing its soul. His ejection fuels the "betrayal" narrative that is slowly eroding the party's grassroots support base, particularly among the Gen Z demographic that demands ideological purity over transactional politics.

• The Technicality Excuse: The party claims Article 92 of its constitution prohibits holding both county and national offices. Yet, critics point to other officials who have historically held dual roles without consequence, suggesting the rule is being applied selectively as a weapon.
• The Ruto Factor: Insiders allege that Amisi's real crime was his refusal to soften his attacks on President William Ruto's administration, creating awkwardness for ODM leaders now enjoying state privileges.

A Party at War with Itself

This development is not an isolated incident but a symptom of an identity crisis that threatens to tear the orange party apart. As the leadership dines with the administration they once vowed to overthrow, the ideological chasm between the "pragmatists" seeking state resources and the "purists" defending the opposition's watchdog role is widening. Amisi is simply the first casualty of this internal war.

The Saboti MP has vowed not to go quietly, positioning himself as a martyr for the "true" opposition. As the dust settles, the question on every observer's mind is simple: Is this the strengthening of a party, or the beginning of its end? For now, the message from Orange House is clear—dissent is expensive, and the price is your seat at the table.