Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has received temporary legal reprieve after the High Court halted his removal as the ODM Secretary General.In a ruling delivered on Thursday, February 12, the court ordered the immediate suspension of the gazette notice effecting Sifuna’s ouster, pending the hearing and determination of the case.
The decision effectively freezes any changes to the party’s secretariat until the dispute is resolved.
The court has scheduled a follow-up on this issue for February 26, at which time it will provide additional guidance regarding the petition submitted by Sifuna against the ODM and the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP).
This ruling occurred just hours after the Nairobi senator filed a legal challenge to the decision of the ODM National Executive Committee (NEC), which had announced his removal from a significant party role.
Sifuna contended that the process that led to his ousting was illegal and breached the party’s constitution.
After the NEC’s decision, ODM announced that Sifuna was immediately dismissed from his responsibilities, citing issues with discipline and compliance with party protocols.
This announcement triggered strong reactions within the party and intensified discussions about leadership and internal democracy.In his petition, Sifuna asserts that he is still the legitimately elected Secretary General and insists that any efforts to remove him must adhere to established legal and constitutional protocols.
He also blamed a few individuals, “answering to instructions from elsewhere,” whom he said are hellbent on disuniting the party.
He opined that the ouster is a witch hunt for not supporting President Ruto’s leadership, and nothing lawfully warrants his removal from the role he has held for over nine years