The growing clamour for ODM to convene a National Delegates Conference (NDC) to elect national officials is turning into the next battlefront that could plunge the already-troubled outfit into further divisions.
Two opposing camps have since emerged, with one claiming the newly-installed party leader Dr Oburu Oginga was in office illegally without the approval of the party’s delegates.
ODM national chairperson and Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, and co-deputy party leaders Godfrey Osotsi (Vihiga Senator), Abdulswamad Nassir (Mombasa Governor) and Simba Arati (Kisii Governor) have also not been endorsed by the party’s NDC. The leaders were, however, confirmed by the party’s National Governing Council on October 13, 2025.
Those pushing for the delegates’ conference are citing Article 6.2 of the party’s constitution on election of national officials.
The article provides that “in the event that the Party Leader is unable to discharge of his or her duties by reason of physical or mental infirmity, death, resignation or where he or she ceases to be a party member or a Member of Parliament, a Special Session of the National Delegates Conference shall be convened to elect a new Party Leader.”
Mombasa Senator Mohamed Faki (left) and businessman Suleiman Shahbal at the ODM@20 anniversary celebrations at Mama Ngina Waterfront in Mombasa on November 15, 2025.
Photo credit: Wachira Mwangi | Nation Media Group
Some of the ODM leaders who have publicly challenged the leadership of Dr Oburu include Winnie Odinga, daughter of the late party leader Raila Odinga , Saboti MP Caleb Amisi and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino.
In the absence of Mr Odinga, who has for years been the unifying figure, and going by the current political dynamics, holding such high-stakes party elections is seen as a major threat to its unity going into the 2027 general elections.
Dr Oginga’s loyalists already claim a plot by external forces to use some party members to rock the outfit from within. The demand for the party to hold a NDC, the pro-broad-based arrangement team says, is part of a broader scheme to push the party into divisive elections, with an end game of having the 20-year-old party go into the 2027 polls as a fragmented outfit.
Party elections have, in the past, turned divisive and chaotic, resulting in major fallouts. Such scenarios have led many parties in the country to avoid holding elections. Most have since resorted to picking national officials through non-adversarial methods like consensus.
A past attempt by the ODM in 2014 to hold party elections at the Kasarani stadium aborted after a group of youth, famously known as ‘men in black’, stormed the venue and scuttled the exercise.
Having conducted grassroots elections from the polling stations up to the county level, the party had planned to hold the NDC in October as part of its 20th anniversary celebrations. But it was postponed to next year March over fears of an acrimonious fallout and possible defections. Mr Nassir and Mr Osotsi told the Nation that the party would hold the NDC at the right time, but would not be pushed by individuals out to rock the outfit from within.
“As it stands now, Oburu is in office legally. Those calling for an NDC and challenging his leadership are the same people who gave Baba (Raila) a hard time. They defied him on several occasions, including on the broad-based arrangement,” said Mr Nassir.
“These people have been rocking the party from within. It is time we confront them to know their motive. Are they working for our detractors? As a party, we will definitely call for an NDC, but it will not be done because of pressure from a few individuals with a hidden agenda.”
From left: Raila Junior, Winnie Odinga and Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho during the ODM@20 anniversary celebrations at Mama Ngina Waterfront in Mombasa on November 15, 2025.
Photo credit: Wachira Mwangi | Nation Media Group
Mr Osotsi said the party would require time to prepare and hold such a gathering, ruling out the March date. He said members have to be patient to allow the party plan for the NDC. He said such a gathering requires elaborate planning and a huge budget.
“Baba (Raila) himself wanted the NDC to take place this year. But it was later agreed that the NDC be separated from the 20th anniversary celebrations. The plan then was to now hold the NDC in March next year,” said Mr Osotsi.
“The assurance is that the NDC would be there. Party members would have a chance to make a decision on whether to confirm the current leaders or pick new ones altogether.”
Mr Osotsi, however, dismissed claims that some of the current officials were in office illegally. He said all the appointments have followed the laid-out procedure with the recent approval by the NGC, which he described as the executive wing of the NDC.
The clamour to call for the party’s NDC kicked off on Saturday when Winnie appeared to question the competence of Dr Oginga to lead the party.
She had sensationally alleged on Friday, while attending the party’s 20th anniversary celebrations, that unnamed party leaders were plotting to ‘sell’ the ODM founded by her late father in 2005, which is now led by her uncle.
Winnie Odinga alleges plot to 'sell' ODM
She questioned whether those managing the ODM–UDA relationship had the same capacity as her late father.
“The broad-based relationship is complicated,” she said. “Those managing it now, are they capable? Because it’s only one Baba Raila Odinga who could manage it.”
ODM Youth League patron and Siaya Governor James Orengo (centre) with other ODM leaders at the Party's Youth League Convention in Mombasa on November 14, 2025.
Photo credit: Wachira Mwangi | Nation Media Group
She called for NDC to give members the power to decide who should steer the relationship, a move that would possibly put Dr Oginga on the chopping block after confirmation as the ODM leader by the NGC on Thursday, October 13.
On Winnie’s accusation, Dr Oginga appeared not to have been ready for a confrontation, instead choosing to handle her concerns privately at a family level.
“Winnie said that we look for somebody to mediate between us and the broad-based government. We shall discuss that back at home as a family.”
In his address during the party’s jamboree in Mombasa, Mr Owino declared himself ready to take over the party’s leadership from Dr Oginga. Mr Owino is among the party’s members who have come out to challenge the status quo. He questioned why he was sidelined when picking new officials while warning that he was ready to take over its running.
Currently, ODM is caught between two political camps — one which is backing President Ruto and another opposed to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ODM and the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
On one side stands the pro–broad-based alliance led by Dr Oginga, joined by Cabinet Secretaries Hassan Joho, John Mbadi and Opiyo Wandayi; as well as national chairperson Gladys Wanga, National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed, and deputy party leaders Simba Arati and Abdulswamad Nassir.
Opposing them is a vocal faction insisting on caution, independence and a return to Mr Odinga’s social democracy values, championed by secretary-general Edwin Sifuna, Siaya senator James Orengo, Winnie and youthful firebrands like Mr Owino.
At the heart of the pushback is Mr Sifuna, who insists that even as ODM honours its founders at the dinner, the party must remain faithful to the soul Odinga built.
“At the ODM dinner where we shall be meeting party founders, we must stick to the values of the party,” he warned. “Let’s stick to Baba’s values. Let’s defend what he stood for, including human rights. Let us be united and accommodative to all.”
Even so, Mr Sifuna pledged loyalty to Dr Oginga, affirming: “As Sifuna, I will use all my strength to ensure we remain united… The members of ODM are the ones to give us direction.”
