Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has openly called for the expulsion of ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, laying bare growing divisions within the opposition party over its future direction.

Speaking on Sunday in Suba South, Homa Bay County, Mbadi accused Sifuna of leading a rebel faction from within ODM and questioned his loyalty to the party.

“Someone like Sifuna will not remain in ODM because already he is conflicted,” Mbadi said. “He is now selling the agenda of someone else. Why are you pretending? You cannot keep him at the party.”

Mbadi said he would ask ODM chairperson Oburu Oginga to convene a Central Management Committee meeting to discuss Sifuna’s fate. He argued that members who oppose party positions should be allowed to leave openly.

“If someone does not want to agree with ODM policies, that person should be left to go so that we know how many people he is leaving with,” he said.

His remarks came as Sifuna led a group identifying itself as Linda Wananchi on a tour of Busia County. The group has been vocal in opposing any pre-election pact between ODM and President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

At the heart of the dispute is ODM’s strategy ahead of the next General Election. One camp, linked to Oburu Oginga, has pushed for a possible pre-election agreement with UDA. The other, led by Sifuna and backed by figures such as Siaya Governor James Orengo, insists ODM should field its own presidential candidate.

Mbadi played down talk of a looming split, saying the party remained strong despite internal disagreements.

“ODM is a solid party. There is no way it will fail,” he said. “It will remain solid the way Raila left it. We will talk to our people to remain steadfast in ODM under the leadership of Oburu Oginga.”

Still, reactions from within the party suggest tensions are far from settled. Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga, who has previously aligned with Sifuna’s camp, appeared to respond indirectly on Facebook with a short but pointed post: “Who told you?”

The phrase echoes comments made by the late party leader Raila Odinga during one of his final party meetings, when he said ODM had not taken a formal position on the 2027 election, even as he confirmed a working arrangement with President Ruto running to that year.

Others in the Sifuna camp struck a defiant tone. Embakasi East MP Babu Owino challenged the party leadership to go ahead with expulsions if it wished.

“We will stand up to you,” Babu said. “Even if today you decide to expel us, we are ready to go back to the people through a by-election. The party that Baba handed over to us must move forward.”

Governor Orengo also rejected any suggestion that ODM could be folded into another political outfit.

“Nobody will force us to enter into a government we do not agree with,” he said. “ODM must form the next government and must have a presidential candidate. This party will not be swallowed by any other party.”

For now, the party leadership has not announced any formal disciplinary process. But with camps hardening and public exchanges growing sharper, ODM faces a delicate test of unity at a time when its next political move is under intense scrutiny.