There will be only one NDC for ODM, says Oburu camp

ODM has dismissed plans by a rival faction to hold a parallel meeting of delegates, insisting that only one National Delegates Convention has been called in accordance with the party’s constitution.

Top officials said the party’s constitution clearly outlines the procedure for calling and conducting an NDC, warning members against attending any unauthorised gatherings.

ODM national chairperson Gladys Wanga, Deputy Secretary General Catherine Omanyo and Minirity Leader in the National Assembly Junet Mohammed maintained that only the NDC called by the camp allied to party leader Oburu Oginga remains legitimate.

“There will be only one NDC of the ODM party. ODM as an institution is 21 years old. The way to convene an NDC is well provided for by our constitution,” Wanga said.

The Homa Bay Governor described the parallel people’s NDC convened by the rival faction allied to Secretary General Edwin Sifuna a scheme to confuse party supporters.

“This is a plot to create confusion, to create sideshows and to confuse our members but our members are very clear,” Wanga stated.

“You can’t call your villages and say they are delegates.”

Wanga also wondered why the Linda Mwananchi chickened out from the Special NDC despite piling pressure for the same.

“There was pressure to call an NDC in the recent months, we then convened one. They should tell us which NEC convened their NDC,” Wanga stated.

Junet while discrediting the parallel NDC said they will not allow known party wreckers in the Linda Mwananchi team to cause confusion in ODM.

“Some people opposing ODM are the same people which destroyed other parties like Ford Kenya and ANC, we know them,” Junet said.

The Suna East MP dared the Linda Mwananchi team to join them during the NDC if they are men enough.

“Let them come, we will meet them face to face. Nobody is a coward here,” Junet said.

The party announced that the official NDC will be held at Jamhuri Grounds, where delegates from across the country are expected to convene to deliberate on key party matters, including leadership and strategy ahead of the 2027 General Election.

“The venue for this event (NDC) will be Jamhuri Grounds off Ngong Road in Nairobi. As a party, we are committed to the values that we are founded on, our principles are supreme and the ideology of the party continues to guide us,” Omanyo said.

“We have one week left to the event and wish to inform our members and the general public that preparations are in top gear, delegates have been duly informed of the meeting and its agenda.”

The venue of the parallel NDC being organised by Sifuna camp is yet to be made public.

Junet criticised the media for what he termed unfair and disproportionate coverage of the Orange Democratic Movement, urging journalists to uphold balance and accuracy when reporting on the party’s affairs.

He expressed concern that repeated negative framing risks distorting public perception of ODM, despite its size and political history.

 “I also want the media to be fair to ODM. You have been very very unkind and unfair to ODM. ODM is a huge party. It is a party of 20 years old,” he said.

“Only three people are dissenting and you report how ODM is in chaos. Let us be fair.”