Busia Woman Representative and acting ODM Party Secretary General Catherine Omanyo has criticised Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo for not publicly declaring her position in the ongoing internal disputes within the party.
Omanyo who is currently serving as ODM Party SG in the absence of Edwin Sifuna, slammed Millie Odhiambo for not making her stance known in the ongoing ODM internal disagreements.
“Millie Odhiambo, whom I looked up to in politics, has sat on the fence when so many things are happening in ODM; she is sitting on the fence. She said ODM mistreated Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna. In her heart, somehow, she is picking a side,” she said.
She argued that instead of publicly criticising the party over its decision to oust Sifuna, Millie Odhiambo should have engaged him privately to help resolve internal concerns.
“She should be the last person to speak like that to show that she cares. If she cares so much and she is a lawyer, she should have a sit-down with her fellow lawyer Sifuna and urge him to try and solve issues internally if there is something that does not please him with ODM and not to bring confusion.”
Defending the party’s handling of Sifuna’s exit, Omanyo dismissed allegations of mistreatment and said his frustrations were a personal decision to walk away from ODM.
She also signaled that leadership contests within the party remain open, pointing to a possible race for the Secretary General position.
“If someone decided to leave, whatever you try to give them will not matter; they will still leave. I have parked myself in SG and settled just fine. The party is still solid, and we are all set. We shall meet in the NDC. I will fight for the seat,” she said.
Her remarks came days after Millie Odhiambo warned that ODM must be careful in how it handles internal disputes, saying that poor treatment of leaders can turn them into public figures with greater political appeal.
Speaking on Sunday, April 26, 2026, Odhiambo said she had previously cautioned party members against pushing out Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna.
“And I want to say here, without fear, that I had warned even against us chasing Sifuna from the party,” she said. “And the reason is because I knew, by the nature of his politics, he was bound at some point to leave.”
“But when we mistreat somebody, then we make him a hero. We have created a hero out of Sifuna. I’m not saying he’s not a hero, but he wasn’t what he is now,” Odhiambo added.
