Speaking during a radio interview on Monday, Omanyo said her role as Deputy Secretary General had little impact because most responsibilities were handled directly by Sifuna, leaving her with minimal duties.
“Working under Sifuna, or being his deputy, I was a little idle. Sifuna never delegated anything. He took it all and acted like a know-it-all,” Omanyo said.
Omanyo described the leadership style within the party’s secretariat as highly centralized, noting that challenging a senior leader in such an environment could easily backfire.
According to her, she chose to remain cautious rather than confront her boss.
“If you have such a boss or senior, you don’t stamp on his ego because it can backfire. I just sat back and let him be,” she explained.
Her remarks come at a time when tensions continue to grow within ODM following the controversial removal of Sifuna from the powerful Secretary General position.
Omanyo is currently serving as the acting Secretary General after ODM’s National Executive Committee resolved to remove Sifuna from the position over disagreements related to the party’s political direction and its stance on the broad-based government arrangement.
Since assuming the role, she has received backing from key party leaders including Oburu Odinga, who has urged her to ignore critics questioning her authority.
“You should be confident because you are our Secretary General. Ignore those saying you are acting. As far as we are concerned, you have the authority to run the secretariat,” Oburu said.
Oburu also questioned Sifuna’s continued claim to the office, noting that the Nairobi senator has not been attending key party meetings.
He pointed out that during a recent National Executive Council meeting, Sifuna failed to appear and did not even send an apology.
“If he is still the Secretary General, where is he? This is the party leader’s office,” Oburu posed.
The revelations by Omanyo highlight the widening divisions within ODM as different factions compete for influence within the party ahead of future political realignments.
While some leaders continue to defend Sifuna’s leadership, others appear to be rallying behind Omanyo as the party seeks to reorganize its structures and maintain unity during a politically sensitive period.
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