The Orange Democratic Movement is facing an existential crisis as it navigates the treacherous waters of its cooperation with the ruling UDA party. Edwin Sifuna’s recent revelations have exposed the deep internal divisions and the external pressures that are threatening to tear the party apart. The experiment of a “broad-based” government, intended to bring stability, has instead brought confusion and a loss of identity.
Sifuna’s role as the Secretary General has become increasingly difficult as he tries to maintain party discipline while key members are absorbed into the government’s executive wing. This struggle for the soul of the party is playing out in the public eye, with every rally and statement scrutinized for signs of weakness or compromise.
The core issue is whether a political party can remain an effective opposition while its members hold cabinet positions in the ruling administration. Sifuna argued that the party’s mandate comes from the people, not from the government. He emphasized that the cooperation was always meant to be conditional and time-bound.
However, the influence of government power is a strong lure, and many fear that the party is being swallowed by the very system it sought to change. The lack of progress on the ten-point reform agenda has only added to these fears. If the party cannot show tangible results from its cooperation, it risks being discarded by the voters in the next election as a sell-out organization.
The path forward for the party is fraught with danger. Sifuna’s call for a return to principled opposition is an attempt to rally the base and reclaim the party’s historical role as the voice of the marginalized. However, this will require a clean break from the current “broad-based” arrangement if the government does not deliver on its promises.
The next thirty days will be a defining moment for Sifuna and the entire leadership. They must decide whether to continue with a failing experiment or take the risky path of total opposition once again. The survival of the party as a dominant force in Kenyan politics depends on this decision. The world is watching as the giants of Kenyan politics prepare for their final stand.