Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi (left) and ODM party leader Dr Oburu Oginga.
Barely a week after the ouster of Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna as Deputy Minority Whip, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is now targeting Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi for removal as County Public Investments and Special Funds (CPIC) committee chairperson.
The Nation has established that nominated senators in the committee are under pressure from both ODM and President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) to sign a petition indicating that they have no confidence in the leadership of Mr Osotsi to complete the purge.
The party plans to replace Mr Osotsi with Taita Taveta Senator Johnes Mwaruma, according to ODM sources.
A meeting by the committee to orchestrate the changes was scheduled for Thursday, July 23, evening. It had, however, not taken place by the time of this story's publication.
Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi addresses delegates during the People’s Delegate Convention organised by the Linda Mwananchi faction of the ODM party in Nairobi on March 27, 2026.
CPIC has Migori Senator Eddy Oketch (ODM) as vice-chairperson. Members are Peris Tobiko (nominated, UDA), Raphael Chimera (nominated, UDA), George Mbugua (nominated, UDA), William Kisang (Elgeyo Marakwet, UDA), Agnes Muthama (Machakos, Wiper), Beth Syengo (nominated, ODM) and Hamida Kibwana (nominated, ODM).
Mr Osotsi confirmed knowledge of the plan, which he described as a mere political witch-hunt targeting the Linda Mwananchi leaders.
The camp led by Mr Sifuna, Mr Osotsi, Siaya Governor James Orengo and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino are opposed to President William Ruto’s re-election.
“This is a political witch-hunt engineered by Oburu and Ruto. This committee has done so much for the last three and half years. Trying to intimidate committee members to remove me on the basis of performance does not make any sense,” said Mr Osotsi.
Mr Osotsi said, through the committee’s oversight work, counties have made significant improvements in the management of their funds as well as water companies. He said his planned removal is no different from his ouster as ODM deputy party leader.
Dr Oginga has in the recent past targeted the Linda Mwananchi leaders for removal from plum leadership positions in both the party and in Parliament.
Dr Oginga’s camp first removed Mr Ososti as the party’s co-deputy party leader during its Special Delegates Convention held on March 27, 2026.
The party has also had a running court battle with Mr Sifuna, which culminated in his removal as the party’s Secretary-General on July 9. This was days after he was removed from the Senate Energy Committee chaired by Dr Oginga.
In UDA, Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale was also removed as Senate Majority Whip for campaigning against the UDA candidate in the Malaba by-election.
The purge against the perceived rebels has, however, raised questions of regional balance in the sharing of the party and parliamentary positions in ODM.
When Mr Sifuna was removed as the Senate Deputy Minority Whip, he was replaced by Senator Oketch of Migori. Mr Oketch, apart from being CPIC vice-chairperson, also serves as Senate’s Roads, Transport and Housing committee chairperson.
National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohammed is also from Migori County. Apart from the parliamentary leadership, Mr Mohammed serves as ODM’s Director of Elections. He sits in both the party’s National Executive Committee and Central Management Committee (CMC).
ODM party leader Dr Oburu Oginga addresses guests during the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Raila Odinga Mausoleum at Kang'o ka Jaramogi in Bondo, Siaya County, on July 20, 2026.
ODM’s National Chairperson Gladys Wanga and National Assembly’s Minority Whip Millie Odhiambo are both from Homa Bay.
“The decision to remove Sifuna and his allies from the Senate leadership reinforces the narrative that they are being persecuted by Nyanza-based bigwigs in ODM,” observes Prof David Monda.
Prof Monda – a US-based political analyst and university lecturer, notes that the ousters also reinforce the image of ODM as being an essentially Luo operation whereby dissenting members from other regions are being demoted or expelled.
“It increases Sifuna's popularity in his heartland in Mulembe Nation while gaining him sympathy across Kenya as a persecuted national leader,” said Prof Monda.
For ODM, observers say the purge serves their short-term cause to quell discontent within the party.
“It stops the hemorrhaging of credibility for the Oburu lead ODM-faction. In the long-run, this expulsion ends the long held view of ODM as a national party.”
The Nation reached out to Mr Oketch, Senate Minority Leader Stewart Madzayo and acting ODM Secretary Catherine Omayo for a comment about the plan to kick out Mr Osotsi, but none of them picked our phone calls or responded to text messages.
This was even as officials not authorised to speak on behalf of the party confirmed the plan. The sources told the Nation that the decision to remove Mr Osotsi was made on the same day the fate of Mr Sifuna was sealed in a meeting that was held at the State House.
The developments also lay bare the widening ideological battle within ODM.
On one side are leaders aligned to Dr Oginga and those backing the party's broad-based cooperation with President William Ruto's administration.
On the other is the Linda Mwananchi faction led by Mr Sifuna, which insists ODM should remain a robust opposition party and resist closer ties with the Kenya Kwanza government.
That rivalry has increasingly spilled from party meetings into Parliament, where committee positions and leadership offices have become the latest battleground.
An alleged State House meeting before the removal of Mr Sifuna from the Senate leadership also intensified claims that ODM is being remote-controlled from State House, with critics claiming the leadership changes were merely the implementation of decisions reached elsewhere.
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