The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal has stopped the removal of Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna as the Orange Democratic Movement Party (ODM) Secretary General.
The decision was announced on February 12, with the mention of the petition against ODM and ORRPP, stating that the matter needs implementation of NEC resolution.
The ruling came just a day after the ODM National Executive Committee resolved to oust him from the position.
Sifuna had earlier rejected the decision to remove him from office and issued a public statement on February 12, to announce his decision.
Court Stops Sifuna’s Removal
Edwin Sifuna’s removal was announced by the ODM National Executive Committee (NEC) after its meeting in Mombasa on February 11.
According to the party, the NEC meeting resolved to replace him as part of a wider leadership restructuring.
Senator Sifuna had linked the move to political interests he claimed were working to weaken the party’s internal structures.
He maintained that he had opposed plans within ODM to support President William Ruto’s re‑election bid, and he believed this opposition contributed to the attempt to remove him.
The NEC meeting at which the ouster was announced sparked internal divisions.
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Several leaders questioned the legitimacy of the gathering.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino described the meeting as irregular and lacking due process.
He said the NEC failed to follow party procedures and that Sifuna’s removal had no organisational legitimacy.
Owino insisted that party leaders must adhere to the constitution they swore to uphold.
Owino also argued that Sifuna’s actions had reflected advocacy for ordinary Kenyans and that removing him punished him for standing with citizens facing economic challenges.
The ruling means that Sifuna remains Secretary General as the petition moves through the legal process.
The Court’s position signals that any attempt to enforce the NEC resolution must wait until the matter is fully heard.
The development adds another layer to the unfolding dispute within ODM.
What Happens Next
With the interim orders in force, the case moves into the documentation phase.
Also Read: Court Stops Sifuna’s Removal as ODM Secretary General
The respondents, ODM and the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORRPP), are required to file their responses.
These will include replying to affidavits responding to the claims raised in the petition, stating the legal grounds showing why they oppose the petition, and supporting documents that justify the NEC meeting in Mombasa and the resolutions passed during that session.
The petitioner must also file any additional affidavits to strengthen the claim that the NEC process was flawed or unlawful.
Once the documents are filed, the Court will schedule an inter partes hearing.
At this stage, both sides will present their arguments, the Court will test whether the NEC followed the law and the ODM constitution, and then the judge will decide whether to extend, vary, or lift the interim orders that stopped Sifuna’s removal.
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