The simmering generational war within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has boiled over into open mutiny. In a stunning display of defiance, Secretary General Edwin Sifuna and Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi boycotted a high-stakes Central Management Committee (CMC) meeting convened by Party Chairman Oburu Oginga in Vipingo, Kilifi County, yesterday.

The retreat was billed as a "unity talk" aimed at whipping the party into line behind the controversial "Broad-Based Government" deal with President William Ruto. Instead, the empty chairs reserved for the party’s most vocal youth leaders spoke louder than the speeches delivered by the old guard. Sources indicate that Sifuna and Osotsi, leaders of the burgeoning "ODM-Asili" faction, view the Kilifi meeting as a rubber-stamp exercise for "state capture."

The "Raila Vacuum"

With Party Leader Raila Odinga’s attention consumed by his African Union Commission bid in Addis Ababa, the party is suffering from a vacuum of authority. Oburu Oginga, attempting to assert control, warned that "indiscipline" would not be tolerated. "We cannot have a party where the Secretary General contradicts the Chairman on national television," Oburu reportedly told the gathering. However, his authority is increasingly being challenged by a younger cadre who feel the party is selling its soul for cabinet positions.

• The Ideological Split: The Sifuna faction argues that formally joining a coalition with UDA will destroy ODM’s brand as the champion of the marginalized. They advocate for maintaining a "principled opposition" stance to capitalize on public discontent over the cost of living.
• The "Government" Faction: Led by National Chairman John Mbadi and the newly appointed Cabinet Secretaries, this group argues that access to state resources is the only way to sustain the party's grassroots networks until 2027.

A Party at the Crossroads

The boycott signals that the center can no longer hold. "This is 1994 all over again," remarked political analyst Mutahi Ngunyi, referencing the collapse of Ford-Kenya. "If Oburu cannot bring Sifuna to the table, ODM risks fracturing into regional tribal outfits just as the 2027 cycle begins."