In his place, Catherine has taken his seat, marking a significant visual shift in the party’s power dynamics.
This move comes only weeks after Sifuna’s contentious removal as Secretary General, a vacancy quickly filled by the ODM National Executive Committee (NEC) with Catherine’s appointment.
What makes this meeting particularly striking is the legal backdrop, despite a court order halting his removal, it appears the party leadership has chosen to move forward without him.
Walking into the meeting room today, the atmosphere feels thick with more than just legislative talk. From the photos shared across social media, the senator’s absence is palpable.
Sifuna has long been the vocal, often fiery, face of the party’s secretariat.
Seeing a different face in that pivotal chair next to the top brass sends a clear, if silent, message about the party's current internal trajectory.
Despite the missing Secretary General, the meeting has proceeded under the steady hand of Party Leader Sen. Dr. Oburu Odinga.
Presiding over the first PG meeting of 2026, Oburu is meeting with all ODM lawmakers to chart a course for what promises to be a turbulent political year.
The agenda remains focused, even as the Sifuna factor remains the elephant in the room. The big agenda today is solidifying party discipline by reaffirming the authority of the NEC’s recent decisions.
Secondly, legislative strategy by Aligning the party’s stance on upcoming bills in Bunge.
And lastly, succession and stability by ensuring the party remains a cohesive unit despite ongoing legal and internal squabbles.
While the court battles may continue in the background, the reality on the ground in Nairobi suggests that ODM is intent on turning the page, with or without its former SG.