A fresh twist has emerged in the dispute between Edwin Sifuna and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) after the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) ordered both parties to seek an internal resolution mechanism before pursuing further legal action.
In a ruling delivered on Thursday, the tribunal directed the Nairobi Senator and his party to resolve their differences through ODM’s Internal Dispute Resolution Mechanism (IDRM).
The directive emphasizes the importance of exhausting party-based processes before escalating disputes to judicial bodies.
The tribunal further ruled that, as a demonstration of good faith, ODM should not proceed with formalizing Sifuna’s removal as Secretary General by filing the changes with the Registrar of Political Parties.
This effectively pauses any official recognition of the contested decision until internal processes are concluded.
“The complainant and the respondent shall attempt to resolve the dispute through the party’s IDRM mechanisms. Parties are encouraged to submit to IDRM in good faith,” the tribunal stated.
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Sifuna had moved to the tribunal challenging his removal, arguing that the decision violated both the ODM constitution and provisions of the Political Parties Act. He maintained that he was not accorded a fair hearing before the decision was made, terming the process unlawful.
In his application, the outspoken senator sought to halt the implementation of the decision and block any changes from being effected by the Registrar of Political Parties.
The tribunal had initially granted interim orders suspending the implementation of a February 11, 2026 resolution by ODM’s National Executive Committee (NEC) that ousted him.
However, ODM opposed the case, arguing that Sifuna had prematurely sought legal intervention without first exhausting the party’s internal dispute resolution channels. The tribunal appeared to agree with this position, stressing the need to strengthen internal party democracy.
Acting PPDT chairperson Gad Gathu noted that disciplinary processes within political parties must strictly adhere to party constitutions and relevant laws, while safeguarding the rights of members to seek redress.
The tribunal ultimately struck out the case, directing each party to bear its own costs, but left room for further action should internal mechanisms fail to resolve the matter.
The ruling underscores the growing push for political parties to uphold internal governance structures and democratic principles in handling disputes.
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