I was idle under Sifuna, he was a know-it-all boss - Catherine Omanyo

Omanyo was named ODM acting Secretary General on February 11, 2026, after the National Executive Committee announced the removal of Sifuna from the position. 

According to Omanyo, who earlier served as Sifuna’s deputy, the latter failed to delegate duties to her and preferred to run the show within the party. 

In an interview with NTV on Monday, Omanyo claimed that Sifuna's leadership style had made her function in the party essentially dormant.

"I was idle under Sifuna; he was a know-it-all," she claimed. 

Omanyo argued that she had little to do because the senator had neglected her role. 

“I was so relaxed when I was the deputy of Sifuna, it is good to give credit where it's due. He was good and never delegated to me, even when he was always absent. I just thought he was joking and one day come back, but the day when Gladys read the minutes, my friend Esther Pasaris told me to wake up and that I am the deputy secretary general, political affairs, and that is when I realised it all,” she said. 

The comments are made in the midst of continuous internal conflicts within ODM, where fights over party posts and authority, as well as leadership squabbles and disagreements, have recently been made public.

Sifuna has been at the center of party disagreements after his removal from the SG post, and has since formed a splinter group dubbed Linda Mwananchi. 

On Friday, ODM held a National Delegates Conference (NDC) with Sifuna’s Linda Mwananchi group holding a parallel one. 

Here, Sifuna suggested that he was ready to step aside from the role he has held for years, taking a direct swipe at the new party leadership under Oburu Oginga.

“It has been the honour of my life to be the Secretary General of probably the greatest politician this country will ever see, Raila Amollo Odinga,” he declared.

The Nairobi Senator further argued that he would not serve the party under Oburu’s leadership. 

“I will not be the SG of mediocrity, after Raila Odinga, you characters don’t deserve me.”

The remarks, widely interpreted as a public resignation or at the very least a refusal to serve under the new regime, mark a significant escalation of recent internal tensions within ODM following Raila’s death.