Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has thrown the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) into further turmoil by issuing two non-negotiable conditions for his attendance at the highly anticipated National Delegates Conference (NDC).

The internal political warfare tearing through the Orange Democratic Movement has reached a fever pitch. In a brazen display of defiance against the party's traditional power structures, vocal Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has drawn a line in the sand regarding the upcoming National Delegates Conference. His ultimatum is not just a personal stand; it is the manifestation of a deep-rooted rebellion threatening to fracture Kenya's most formidable opposition party.

As ODM grapples with the leadership vacuum created by Raila Odinga's pursuit of the African Union Commission chairmanship, the NDC scheduled for March 27, 2026, is viewed as the ultimate battleground for the party's soul. Owino, leading a faction demanding radical generational change, has weaponized his attendance to enforce strict constitutional adherence within the party ranks.

The Anatomy of the Ultimatum

Owino's conditions strike directly at the heart of the party's administrative integrity and its ongoing factional disputes. He has categorically stated that he will boycott the event, branding it a "kangaroo meeting," unless his demands are explicitly met.

First, Owino demands that the NDC must be officially convened by the embattled Secretary General, Edwin Sifuna. This requirement is highly contentious, given that the ODM National Executive Committee (NEC) recently attempted to oust Sifuna—a move currently stayed by the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal. By insisting on Sifuna's authority, Owino is delegitimizing the NEC's recent maneuvers and aligning himself with the faction resisting external political infiltration.

Second, Owino insists on the provision of a fully audited and verified list of delegates well in advance of the conference. "We said that the only thing that can break this deadlock is an NDC called by the current secretary general with an audited list of delegates so that we can move this party in the right direction," Owino declared.

Delegates, Deception, and Democratic Rights

The demand for an audited delegate list is rooted in fears of systemic electoral manipulation. The Owino-led faction suspects that the "old guard," allegedly aligned with Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga, intends to rig the conference by stuffing the venue with handpicked loyalists to rubber-stamp the current leadership structure.

• Constitutional Mandates: According to Article 43 of the ODM Constitution, the Secretary General is uniquely mandated to issue the 21-day notice for the NDC, making Owino's demand legally sound.
• The Signature Campaign: In a parallel offensive, Owino has mobilized the collection of 1,000 delegate signatures, legally empowering his faction to trigger the NDC independently should the leadership attempt to stall the process.
• The Threat of Parallel Structures: Should the official party organs fail to meet his demands of transparency, Owino has hinted at the catastrophic possibility of holding a parallel delegates conference, effectively splitting the party in two.

The situation is further complicated by the violent disruptions witnessed at recent ODM rallies, where teargas and chaos have become the new norm. The clashes underscore the high stakes involved as politicians scramble to secure the party machinery ahead of the 2027 elections.

As the March deadline rapidly approaches, the pressure on the ODM leadership is immense. Owino's hardline stance guarantees that the upcoming NDC will be less of a ceremonial transition and more of a brutal political reckoning.