The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) has nullified the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) National Executive Committee (NEC) resolution to remove Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna from his position as Party Secretary General.
In a major legal victory for the senator, the tribunal ruled that the party’s ouster process was procedurally flawed because he was not accorded a fair hearing before the decision was taken.
The ruling, delivered by the tribunal panel, declared that ODM’s resolution was invalid strictly to the extent that it sought to strip Sifuna of his administrative title without observing due process.
However, the tribunal declined to issue sweeping restraining orders that would halt the party’s ongoing internal governance mechanisms.
It clarified that ODM remains at liberty to institute and conclude disciplinary proceedings against the legislator, provided they strictly align with the party’s constitution and the law.
This legal battle escalated after the ODM NEC voted to remove Sifuna over allegations of indiscipline, miscommunicating party positions, and failing to adhere to the party’s strategic shifts.
Sifuna’s legal team, led by Senior Counsel Isaac Okero, successfully argued that the abrupt ouster violated both the party’s internal constitution and the Fair Administrative Action Act.
They maintained that stripping a senior official of their democratically elected mandate without offering a formal opportunity to respond was inherently undemocratic.
While the ruling gives Sifuna a significant political reprieve, the tribunal emphasized the need to strengthen internal political party democracy.
It noted that should Sifuna find himself dissatisfied with any future outcomes of the party’s ongoing internal disciplinary panels, the law still provides him with a clear path for legal recourse.
Tribunal Reinstates Sifuna as ODM Secretary GeneralFor now, the decision effectively forces ODM back to the drawing board to handle its internal leadership friction through proper legal frameworks.
