ODM leaders call for people-centred dialogue as push for NDC grows

A section of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leaders is calling for the voice of the people to be heard in resolving the sticking issues rocking the faction.

Some of the leaders who attended a closed-door meeting at a Nairobi hotel on Thursday are pushing for a National Delegates Convention (NDC) to decide the party’s new leadership.

It was a meeting whose contents remained scanty, except for a few cryptic messages posted on social media by some of the ODM leaders who attended.

Top officials led by party leader Dr. Oburu Oginga have held several meetings to calm rising tensions threatening to split the party.

And while those in attendance, including ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, the late Raila Odinga’s sister Ruth Odinga, Siaya Governor James Orengo and Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo, called for unity, the push for a people-centred approach grew stronger.

“It was basically a furtherance of what we discussed before, which is party unity and party cohesion. A lot of the fights we are having is pointing guns at ourselves. We need to point those guns away from us. And the meeting we had yesterday was to point guns away from us," said Millie Odhiambo.

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino on his part said: "It was clear that we need to come together. Raila loved peace and unity. What would Baba do? He loved peace. That was what we were discussing.”

“Basically, we were saying we need consultation, we need dialogue, and to go back to the people and talk about the party," added Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga.

The leaders now propose a people’s dialogue to address the challenges threatening to break the party apart.

Millie added: “Members have a voice. Other than delegation, the party has a lot of support. It now behoves us to carry people along with the transition.

"What we need is to have meetings at the constituencies and regions — in Kwale, Turkana, everywhere…” stated Ruth.

However, a more radical faction led by Babu Owino insists that an NDC is the only way forward, arguing it will provide party members a democratic platform to elect new office bearers following the passing of the late party leader Raila Odinga.

“We have been having grassroots elections, but it is time we call an NDC to give the people a chance to elect their own leaders," Babu stated.

Buoyed by a recent Infotrak report that ranked him highly in the succession debate, Babu declared his intention to run for the party’s top seat.

“If people in Central, in Nyanza, in Nairobi hear that Babu is the party leader of ODM, ODM will be very serious. Ni Babu kwa sababu, bila Babu tabu. Baada ya Baba ni Babu," he added.