Kenya’s High Commissioner to Uganda and former Sports CS Ababu Namwamba has issued a sharp rebuttal to Treasury CS John Mbadi over claims that he was previously forced out of his role as ODM Secretary General.

The clash ignited after Mbadi’s February 11 television interview, where he discussed efforts to push out embattled Secretary General Edwin Sifuna.

Mbadi cited Namwamba’s 2016 exit as a precedent, claiming, “When Ababu wanted to behave contrary to our party agenda, I personally convened the disciplinary committee, and we ensured he was properly removed from office.”

Namwamba quickly dismissed this account as a distortion of history.

Posting on Instagram, he insisted his departure was a voluntary resignation driven by internal frustrations.

“My brother John Mbadi, you cannot rewrite history. No one ever fired me from the position of ODM Party Secretary General,” Namwamba declared.

He described his decision to walk away as a matter of honour.

“When I couldn’t stand the everlasting party shenanigans, I had the audacity, the valor, the cojones, and the honour to walk away, head held high, with my pride intact,” he added. 

The former CS called the exit the best decision of his career and noted that ODM’s current political strength pales in comparison to its 2007 peak.

He urged Mbadi to focus on rebuilding the party rather than altering the past.

This public spat highlights deepening divisions within ODM since several figures, including Mbadi, joined President William Ruto’s administration.

The conflict unfolds as the party undergoes major leadership changes, with Catherine Omanyo replacing Edwin Sifuna in an acting capacity amid ongoing disputes over party policy and record-keeping.