Crunch day for ODM as key parallel meetings slated for today

Today could shape up to be a defining moment for the ODM party, with many viewing it as a “judgement day” that could determine the future of Kenya’s most enduring opposition party.

Events of the day could easily define the next phase of the 20-year-old movement, currently experiencing an internal crisis since its formation in 2005.

Months after the death of its founding leader, Raila Odinga, deep-seated disagreements over leadership, ideology and political alignment have erupted into open confrontation, fuelling fears of an imminent implosion as rival camps pull the party in opposing directions.

At the centre of the storm is a two-way contest over ODM’s future. 

One camp insists the party should remain firmly embedded in President William Ruto’s broad-based government, while another is calling for ODM to reclaim its opposition identity and rally a united front against the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) administration ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The climax is now set as a section of party officials prepares to converge for the National Delegates Conference (NDC), following recent calls to redefine leadership and strategy after Raila’s death. 

The Oburu Oginga-led “Linda Ground” faction is set to hold its NDC on Friday at Jamhuri Grounds, while embattled Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna and his allies are planning a parallel “People’s Dialogue Convention” under the Linda Mwananchi faction.

Both meetings are expected to provide an opportunity for ODM to define its political direction, including potential engagements with allied political formations.

The Nairobi senator-led Linda Mwananchi team has announced it will not attend the Oburu-led NDC, instead opting for its own parallel convention. 

According to the group, a legally binding NDC must be convened by the party’s Secretary-General, arguing that since Sifuna has not called for such a meeting, the planned NDC is null and void.

ODM Deputy Party Leader Godfrey Osotsi, while addressing a press conference, confirmed that their faction will proceed with the parallel dialogue convention.

“As Linda Mwananchi, we have made a decision that we are not going to participate in the National Delegates Convention that has been convened and organised by the Linda Ground group because that NDC is illegal and undemocratic,” Osotsi said.

Leaders such as Siaya governor James Orengo, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and Saboti MP Caleb Amisi have been associated with the Linda Mwananchi faction, which has opposed ODM’s participation in the broad-based government arrangement.

The emergence of parallel NDCs has triggered intense grassroots mobilisation by both camps. 

Linda Mwananchi has called on its supporters to boycott the Oburu-led event, citing unfairness and unresolved internal grievances.

In Western Kenya, a section of ODM leaders has openly declared support for Sifuna, vowing not to attend the March 27 NDC. 

Led by Vihiga County branch chairperson Zebedee Osabwa, the section argues that due process was not followed in convening the convention.

“We can’t attend a meeting that has no backing of key party officials like Sifuna, Osotsi and Amisi,” Osabwa said.

What was once a tightly controlled party under Raila’s singular authority has now evolved into a battleground of competing visions, personalities and regional interests. 

For nearly two decades, Raila served as ODM’s ideological anchor, chief negotiator and ultimate arbiter, with loyalists noting that his leadership settled disputes and restrained internal ambitions.

Following his death, the ODM National Governing Council (NGC) endorsed Siaya senator, Oburu, as party leader in a move intended to ensure continuity. 

However, the decision has instead ignited controversy and deepened divisions.

A section of ODM loyalists maintains that the party must honour what they describe as Raila’s last political decision, cooperation with President Ruto through the broad-based government. 

ODM chairperson Gladys Wanga has insisted that there will only be one NDC, dismissing the parallel meeting as an attempt to confuse members.

She argues that Raila’s decision to join the broad-based arrangement was deliberate and aimed at stabilising the country.

“Raila placed ODM in the broad-based government deliberately,” Wanga said. “He did not do so for positions or personal gain, but to stabilise the country and ensure our people benefit. Walking away now would be a betrayal of his legacy.”

Oburu has also maintained that ODM should not retreat into opposition politics, arguing that relevance in the current political environment requires engagement rather than confrontation.

However, this position has faced strong resistance from within the party. 

Earlier, Winnie Odinga, Raila’s daughter and a Member of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), was at the forefront of calling for an urgent NDC, arguing that only party members can legitimately determine ODM’s future direction.

“When it came to the matter of the broad-based government, ODM entrusted one person, Raila Odinga, to manage that relationship,” Winnie said in a previous public rally. 

“The question is, are those now in charge capable of managing it? The mandate belongs to the people and an NDC represents democratic expression rather than rebellion,” she said.

Her remarks were widely interpreted as a challenge to the current leadership structure, even as she now shifts focus toward seeking a co-deputy party leadership position at the scheduled NDC.

Sifuna has long warned that ODM risks losing its identity if it becomes indistinguishable from the ruling coalition.

“A political party must know what it stands for. Our strength has always come from our clarity of purpose and connection to the people,” Sifuna said.

Governor Orengo has echoed similar sentiments, cautioning against a permanent alignment with the UDA party.

“ODM was not formed to be an accessory to power. We must be careful not to abandon our principles in the name of convenience,” he said.

The ODM constitution designates the National Delegates Conference as the party’s highest decision-making organ, responsible for electing leaders and ratifying policy direction.