Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) lawmakers have backed the move to strip Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna of his secretary general position, openly defying a ruling by the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT).
The decision follows a high-stakes Parliamentary Group (PG) meeting held at Parliament Buildings on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Suna East MP Junet Mohamed announced the outcome, confirming that members threw their weight behind the National Executive Committee’s (NEC) earlier vote to suspend Sifuna.
During the meeting, the legislators collectively ratified the party leadership’s choice to remove Sifuna from his powerful administrative role. This internal push continues despite legal interventions meant to protect his position.
“PG endorsed the decision by the National Executive Committee to suspend Hon. Edwin Sifuna as secretary general,” Junet’s statement read in part.
The ODM legislators chose to back Sifuna’s removal just days after the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) intervened. Acting Chairperson Gad Gathu had extended orders on Thursday, February 26, 2026, legally blocking the party from kicking out the secretary general.
Surprisingly, the party’s own legal team consented to this extension in court. They agreed to keep the stay orders in force until the tribunal could hear and determine the full case.
Despite this legal pause, the ODM lawyers made it clear to both the court and Sifuna that they wanted a swift resolution. They expressed a strong desire to settle the dispute as quickly as possible.
“The application dated February 11, 2026, is allowed by consent of the parties,” acting chairperson Gathu ruled.
At the heart of the dispute, the PPDT temporarily blocked the ODM NEC from carrying out its resolution to oust Senator Sifuna. The tribunal ruled that he must remain in office until it hears and settles his legal challenge against the removal.
Beyond keeping him in his seat, the tribunal prohibited the ODM party from taking the formal step of publishing the NEC’s decision in the Kenya Gazette. This legal barrier prevents the party from officially finalizing the leadership change.
“That pending the hearing and determination of this instant application, inter partes, this Honourable Tribunal hereby issues orders staying the implementation of the resolution made by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Orange Democratic Movement Party (ODM) on February 11, 2026, to remove Edwin Sifuna as the Secretary General of the Party,” the acting PPDT Chairperson ordered.
The tribunal further clarified the restriction:
“Pending the hearing and determination of this instant application, inter partes, this Honorable Tribunal hereby issues an order restraining the respondents (ODM and the Registrar of Political Parties) from publishing in the Kenya Gazette the resolution made on February 11, 2026, to remove Edwin Sifuna as the Secretary General of the Party,” the Tribunal added.
The legal showdown between Senator Edwin Sifuna and the ODM party is heading toward a critical climax. On Thursday, February 26, 2026, the Tribunal officially scheduled March 12, 2026, for a full hearing to settle the dispute.
To prepare for this date, the Tribunal issued specific instructions to both sides. It ordered the ODM party to file and serve their legal authority, along with relevant transcripts, within three days.
On his part, Sifuna has seven days to file and serve his formal submissions. Once he does, the party will have another seven days to respond with their own documents.
“The respondent will have seven days from the date of service to file and serve their submissions; then the hearing, by way of highlighting oral submissions, will be held on March 12, 2026, at 10 am,” the acting PPDT Chairperson directed.
The March 12 hearing will feature “highlighting of oral submissions,” a process where both legal teams will present their strongest arguments in person before the Tribunal makes its final decision. Until that day, the court’s orders remain in place, keeping Sifuna in office and preventing the party from officially declaring a vacancy.
