Oburu Oginga, the party leader of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), has lashed out at his embattled secretary general Edwin Sifuna.

According to Oburu, he would not bow down to the demands of the Nairobi Senator, who has since led a faction of ODM in opposing the incumbent party leader.

“We don't have to go and beg him. He is not the Pope. Even the Pope...people go like this [bows] to the Pope. Sifuna is not the Pope. He is the Secretary General of ODM. He can be removed like any other... like any other official,” Oburu said on Hot 96’s Checkmate show.

The ODM leader went on to claim that Sifuna had lost favour with ODM’s founding leader Raila Odinga way before his demise in October 2025.

He argued that reports that the late Odinga had been fed up with the embattled secretary general were true.

“Raila was fed up with Sifuna. Sifuna organized goons to embarrass Raila in Kakamega. And uh, Sifuna should come slowly,” said Oburu.

The Siaya Senator went on to advise his Nairobi counterpart to hold his horses.

“He is a young man. He is coming up. He should not be in a hurry to take over the party. He should learn. He should be patient,” said Oburu.

The ODM leader’s remarks comes after a similar dress down from Sifuna, who dismissed Oburu’s leadership.

“Oburu, look for your own SG. After Baba Raila Odinga, you ... don’t deserve me!" said Sifuna when his Linda Mwananchi group held a parallel ODM National Delegates Conference (NDC) at Ufungamano House on March 28.

The National Executive Committee (NEC) on February 11 announced the removal of Sifuna as the party’s secretary general. Busia Woman Representative Catherine Omanyo was appointed to the position in an acting capacity.

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The embattled secretary general has since sought the intervention of the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal (PPDT), claiming that his rights and the party’s constitution were breached.

The PPDT initially dismissed Sifuna’s complaint.

The Nairobi Senator returned to the PPDT on April 8 seeking to stop his removal and halt any disciplinary proceedings arising from a Notice to Show Cause dated April 2, 2026.

He also seeks to bar both the party and the Registrar of Political Parties from effecting or publishing any decision removing him in the Kenya Gazette.