NAIROBI, KENYA – Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna on Friday, November 21, 2025, publicly accused unnamed members within his own party of pursuing “crafty agendas” and covertly aligning with President William Ruto’s administration. Speaking at a fundraiser in Borabu Constituency, the Nairobi Senator’s sharp remarks have laid bare the deep ideological fractures within ODM regarding its participation in a “broad-based government” with the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition.

Sifuna warned that these individuals, whom he described as “hardliners,” were undermining the party’s cohesion and contradicting directives from its leadership. “Those of our brothers in ODM who say they support that thing called ‘broad-based,’ it’s okay, but don’t think you are very clever,” Sifuna stated, adding, “We know those who are hiding in ODM while pushing William Ruto’s policies.” His comments suggest a significant internal struggle over the party's future direction and its commitment to the political pact established with the government.

Background: The NADCO Pact and a Fragile Truce

The current political arrangement stems from the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report, which was finalized in late 2023 and adopted by Parliament in early 2024. The report, a product of bipartisan talks between Kenya Kwanza and the Azimio la Umoja coalition, was designed to ease political tensions following the contentious 2022 general election. A subsequent 10-point agenda was formalized in a Memorandum of Understanding between President Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on March 7, 2025, creating a framework for cooperation.

To oversee the pact's rollout, a five-member joint committee, chaired by Senator Agnes Zani, was established in August 2025. This committee is tasked with ensuring the implementation of key reforms, including addressing the cost of living, electoral justice, and the creation of the Office of the Leader of the Official Opposition. However, Sifuna’s recent outburst indicates that consensus within the ODM party on the nature and extent of this cooperation is fracturing.

A Party Divided

Sifuna’s criticism is not new; he has been a vocal skeptic of the ODM-UDA collaboration for months. His stance highlights a growing divide within the party. One faction appears to fully endorse the broad-based government, viewing it as a path to national unity and stability, a position often articulated by the late party leader Raila Odinga. Another faction, seemingly championed by Sifuna, fears that the pact dilutes ODM's identity as an opposition party and risks making it complicit in the failures of the Kenya Kwanza administration ahead of the 2027 elections.

The Secretary General has previously insisted that the working agreement is not a coalition and should not be used to confuse voters or subsume ODM's identity. He has also publicly declared the pact “dead” on previous occasions, citing a lack of commitment from the government on critical issues like justice for victims of past protests. These recurring critiques have led to calls for his resignation from some party loyalists who feel he is undermining a unified party position.

Implications for Kenya's Political Stability

The infighting within ODM carries significant implications for Kenya. A fractured opposition weakens its ability to hold the government accountable and effectively negotiate the implementation of the NADCO reforms. Key legislative proposals, such as the Political Parties (Amendment) Bill and the Election Offences (Amendment) Bill, are set to be debated in Parliament, and their passage relies on the bipartisan goodwill that Sifuna’s comments suggest is waning.

Furthermore, the instability could jeopardize the broader Azimio la Umoja coalition. Sifuna has previously had to reaffirm ODM's commitment to Azimio and its partners, like the Wiper party, amidst speculation of rifts. Any collapse of the ODM-Kenya Kwanza truce could reignite political tensions across the country, impacting economic stability and investor confidence in both Kenya and the wider East African region.

While party leader Oburu Oginga has stated that ODM will support the broad-based government arrangement until 2027, Sifuna's continued dissent signals that the path forward is far from settled. As the party grapples with its identity and strategy, the coming months will be critical in determining whether it can maintain internal unity or risk a split that could reshape Kenya's political landscape. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REQUIRED into the specific identities of the “hardliners” and their precise agenda.