The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has been plunged into a tribal and strategic crisis after the powerful Luhya Council of Elders officially rejected the appointment of Catherine Omanyo as the party’s Secretary-General.
In a move that threatens to dismantle the fragile “broad-based” alliance recently constructed in Nairobi, the elders have issued a defiant ultimatum: return the seat to Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna or face a total political exodus from the Western region.
This is not a mere internal disagreement; it is a fundamental breakdown of the political machinery that has sustained ODM’s influence for two decades. The “twisted” nature of this rebellion lies in the rejection of a woman from the same community.
Rather than celebrating Omanyo’s elevation, the elders view her appointment as a tactical demotion of the Luhya nation’s political influence. By replacing the high-octane, influential Sifuna with a figure they perceive as less strategically positioned, the elders argue that ODM is effectively “disarming” the Western vote bloc ahead of the 2027 showdown.
The urgency of this rejection cannot be overstated. The elders have signaled that the secretary-general position is not just a job but a symbol of the community’s stake in the party’s decision-making hierarchy. Their demand for Sifuna’s return is a direct challenge to the party’s top brass, suggesting that the current leadership transition is a betrayal of the loyalty the region has shown to the Orange party.
As the party attempts to navigate its new partnership with the government, it now faces a grassroots insurgency from its own bedrock. The elders’ veto has transformed a routine administrative appointment into a high-stakes ethnic standoff.
If Sifuna is not reinstated, the “Orange” stronghold in Western Kenya may finally crack, leaving the party vulnerable at a time when it can least afford internal bleeding. The message is clear: in the theater of Kenyan politics, tradition still holds the power to overrule the boardroom.
Leave a Reply