ODM party leader Oburu Oginga yesterday declared that no individual is indispensable in the party, insisting that secretary general Edwin Sifuna remains out of office despite a recent court order.

Oburu said the party recognises Busia Woman Representative Catherine Omanyo as the acting secretary general, saying Sifuna is a ‘court’s secretary general’.

Speaking during a church service in Mombasa with party officials, Oburu maintained that discipline and respect for party structures must prevail over personal interests.

“There is nobody who is indispensable in the party, even myself. The party is for the people and the people cannot fear anybody,” he said, in remarks widely seen as directed at Sifuna and his allies.

“Sifuna is the SG for the courts. She (Omanyo) is the SG for our party.”

However, Oburu clarified that the Nairobi senator still remains a party member.

“We have not removed him from the party. We are not going to expel anybody from the body,” Oburu said.

The declaration comes days after a court issued interim orders halting Sifuna’s removal from office, pending the hearing and determination of a petition lodged before the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal.

The tribunal on Thursday ruled against ODM National Executive Committee’s decision to remove Sifuna as secretary general and replace him with his deputy Catherine Omanyo.

Oburu further vowed they will not entertain any indiscipline in the 20-year-old outfit.

“Our party will continue to be united,” Oburu said.

"We will not allow divisive forces to divide us. What we will not allow is indiscipline. A party is like a club, you must follow the rules."

The standoff has exposed deep divisions in the party, with rival camps mobilising support at grassroots and national levels.

Allies of the Nairobi senator insist that the court order effectively reinstates him, while the Oburu-led faction maintains that the party’s internal processes cannot be undermined.

Sifuna, who also serves as Nairobi senator, has dismissed the suspension as unlawful and politically motivated, accusing sections of the leadership of orchestrating a purge to because of his hardline stance on the 2027 deal with President William Ruto.

He has vowed to defend his position through legal channels.

Speaking during the church function, ODM national chairperson Gladys Wanga, while rallying support for Oburu, said the party’s turbulence will soon be a thing of the past.

“We have faith we will get a way of moving forward. We will never forget the issues Rraila was pushing. Raila was the hardware, Oburu was the software,” Wanga said.

“We cannot be misled by Oburu.”

The Homa Bay governor also reiterated the party’s commitment to push for the issues that were pending before Raila died, including the 10-point agenda.

“We will share on the issues that matters to the people, not positions,” Wanga said.