Catherine Omanyo, Busia Woman Representative, has been appointed acting secretary general of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) following the ouster of Edwin Sifuna. The decision was made by the party's National Executive Committee on February 11, 2026, citing concerns over indiscipline. Omanyo, previously the deputy secretary general, will lead the secretariat ahead of the National Delegates Convention.
Catherine Omanyo, born on July 7, 1970, in Busia County, faced hardships after her father died when she was 14 years old. Her mother refused to follow the cultural practice of being inherited by her late husband's brother, leaving her to raise ten children alone. As the fourth-born, Omanyo struggled to access education and once sneaked into classrooms to listen to lessons before being punished and chased away.
In 1998, she secured a scholarship to the University of Nairobi, washing clothes to cover living expenses. While in Nairobi, she noticed many slum children were out of school and began tutoring them, founding Imprezza Academy in 2001. The institution later became the International School for Champions, a tuition-free school in Busia supporting orphaned and underprivileged children near the Kenya-Uganda border.
Her political career started in 2007 when she contested the Nambale parliamentary seat under KADU at age 37, finishing third. She unsuccessfully ran for the Matayos MP seat in the 2013 and 2017 elections. In 2022, she was elected Busia County Woman Representative on an ODM ticket, succeeding Florence Mutua.
Through the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF), she has overseen the drilling of over 37 boreholes and construction of houses for vulnerable widows. She has led anti-jigger campaigns since 2006 and menstrual health initiatives, distributing sanitary pads to schoolgirls. Omanyo was ranked among the top 25 best-performing women representatives in Kenya and received a Certificate of Merit for resource mobilization.
Regarding the ODM decision, the National Executive Committee expressed concern over rising indiscipline in senior leadership. "ODM is governed by constitutional rule of law and collective decision-making through its duly constituted organs," the NEC statement read. It resolved to remove Sifuna from office effective immediately, with Omanyo assuming the role. Sifuna had served as secretary general since February 2018 and was a vocal government critic.
The party also resolved to initiate the process to exit the Azimio la Umoja One coalition, mandating leader Oburu Oginga to lead coalition negotiations ahead of the 2027 election. Omanyo will oversee the secretariat as ODM prepares for the National Delegates Convention on March 27, 2026.
