ODM mulls reconciling with Sifuna, Babu camp as calls for unity mount

A reconciliatory mood dominated the first parliamentary group meeting of members from the Orange Democratic Movement, a meeting skipped by secretary general Edwin Sifuna.

The meeting, chaired by party leader Oburu Oginga and attended by several ODM legislators from both the National Assembly and Senate, sought to align the party’s legislative agenda amidst simmering divisions within the party.

Multiple sources who attended the meeting at Parliament buildings told the Star there was a general feeling for the need for unity and reconciliation.

The Orange party has been for months entangled in a vicious power tussle between two camps popularly christened Linda Ground and Linda Wananchi.

Linda Ground is a faction consisting of Oburu and a host of top party officials, while Sifuna leads the Linda Wananchi.

In the morning meeting, National Assembly Minority Whip Millie Odhiambo and Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera reportedly told members to close ranks and have one united party.

“Yes, the general feeling was that there should be no reason why the party should have two factions. The two leaders actually said what a majority felt that the two camps must unite,” a second-term lawmaker who attended the meeting said.

Another senator told the Star that even though the matter was not conclusively deliberated on, none of the members present opposed to the idea.

“There were serious calls for reconciliation. That I can confirm. Hon Millie and Hon Nabii appeared to have read the mood of members,” the senator said.

Oburu, on his part, is said to have briefed members on the yet-to-start negotiations, adding that ODM is not in a hurry to be aligned in a political faction either supporting the reelection or removal from office of President Ruto in the 2027 election.

“We are not in a hurry to say one term or two terms. We are strengthening our party to prepare ourselves for negotiations,” he reportedly said during the meeting.

On the negotiations, the Siaya senator said the party will soon form a negotiation committee to engage their broad-based partner, UDA.

The Tuesday session was also notably skipped by Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, who is allied to Linda Wananchi.

There was also a split in opinion over the proposed zoning of regions and whether ODM should ring-fence its traditional strongholds or allow open competition from partner parties.

However, a majority of members are pushing for the protection of ODM’s perceived bases, cautioning that rival parties would weaken the party’s dominance and hand unnecessary advantage to competitors.

Some members, led by Narok Senator Ledama Olekina, thought otherwise.

The Senate Minority whip, while encouraging competition, said that is the only way to strengthen the outfit.

“In my case, I had 11 competitors, and this time round, I guess they will be 15. Competition is the only way to make our party strong on the ground,” he said.

 At the same time, ODM legislators raised concerns over what they described as political encroachment by UDA in regions traditionally considered ODM strongholds.

According to the narration, the ruling UDA, in a bid to boost its numbers, is reaching out to ODM members to crossover to the outfit, failing which the President William Ruto-led party identifies and sponsors a candidate against the member.

The matter was reportedly raised by MPs Ken Chonga (Kilifi South), Mishi Mboko (Likoni) and Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir, who cautioned the PG that ‘vice’ by their partner risks undermining the spirit of cooperation between the two sides.

Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Minority leader Junet Mohammed said the party would firmly defend its political base and ensure it maintains its strength in Parliament.

“We are telling any party we are negotiating with that our parliamentary numbers is not negotiable,” he said.

The PG also resolved that the party convenes a National Executive Committee on Wednesday to give deputy secretary general Catherine Omamo the mandate to issue notice for the March 27 National Delegates Convention.

According to the ODM constitution, NEC is the only authorised organ to designate an official of the party to formally issue the notice for the convention in a situation where the substantive secretary general is unable to convene.

INSTANT ANALYSIS

ODM was having its first parliamentary group meeting since the passing of its leader, Raila Odinga. The meeting at the Parliament building was presided over by the new party chief, Oburu Oginga.