Joho lectures DJ over welcome at ODM event

Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho briefly halted proceedings at Jamhuri Showground in Nairobi on Monday after publicly lecturing the ODM DJ over the song played to usher him onto the stage.

Joho had just been invited by Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga to address delegates at the ODM Youth Convention when the DJ played a taarab song, “Aya Aya Aya (Kidudu Mtu)”, as his welcome track.

As he stepped forward to speak, Joho immediately turned to the DJ and issued a firm directive in what came across as a public lecture over the choice of music.

“You, DJ, if you are to call Likoni MP) Mishi(Mboko) on to the stage, is when you play that music. Give us something else… Nairobi oyee", he said.

The remarks drew laughter and cheers from sections of the crowd, as the governor signalled that the song did not match the tone he expected for his introduction.

The DJ quickly switched the track, marking a brief pause before Joho proceeded with his address.

The exchange took place during the party’s youth convention, where leaders and supporters allied to the ODM wing of the broad-based government had gathered as part of a renewed mobilisation drive targeting young people.

The meeting marked the start of a series of countrywide engagements aimed at rebuilding momentum ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The initiative follows a decision by the party’s Central Committee to roll out what it described as a “vigorous and rigorous” programme to rejuvenate and strengthen its grassroots base.

Under the plan, similar conventions will be held across 25 counties, beginning with Nairobi before moving to Mombasa on April 26.

The DJ moment at the convention comes against a backdrop of internal shifts within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), particularly following the emergence of rival factions after the death of Raila Odinga.

As divisions deepened between the Linda Ground and Linda Mwananchi camps, several party structures, including mobilisation teams, were affected.

Among the less obvious but symbolically significant changes was the question of who controlled the party’s events machinery, including DJs and stage management.

At one point, concerns were raised within ODM circles that the Linda Ground faction lacked a dedicated DJ for its functions after individuals previously associated with the party’s events reportedly aligned themselves with the rival Linda Mwananchi wing.

Addressing the issue earlier, Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga dismissed claims that the faction was disorganised, insisting that ODM still had capable personnel handling its events.

She maintained that the party had a very good DJ and sufficient structures in place to support its mobilisation activities, particularly as it rolled out youth conventions and grassroots engagements across the country.

The matter, though seemingly minor, reflects the broader reorganisation within ODM as factions seek to assert control over party identity, messaging and public engagement spaces ahead of the 2027 General Election.

It is within this context that moments such as Ali Hassan Joho’s onstage rebuke of the DJ take on added meaning, highlighting not just the cultural tone of political rallies but also the evolving dynamics of control, coordination and symbolism within the party’s public events.