ODM planned NDC faces new hurdle
Politics
By
Nancy Gitonga
| Mar 13, 2026
ODM's planned Special Delegates Convention scheduled for March 27, 2026 faces a fresh hurdle after a life member of the party lodged a formal legal complaint challenging the legality of the meeting.
The member threatened court action to block the meeting over alleged constitutional irregularities.
Through lawyers at Kimani & Muriithi Advocates, Vincent Chepkwony has written to the party leadership demanding that ODM address at least six serious legal concerns within three days, warning that failure to act could render the convention defective and illegal.
At the center of the dispute is the manner in which the notice convening the convention was issued.
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According to the complaint lodged at the party's Chungwa House headquarters, the party constitution requires that such notices be issued by the Secretary General Edwin Sifuna.
“Pursuant to Article 49(b) of the ODM Constitution, the notice and agenda convening the meeting shall be sent out by the Secretary General,” the lawyers state in the letter.
However, the notice was reportedly issued by the Deputy Secretary General Catherine Omanyo, despite the party having a substantive Secretary General in office, raising questions over the legality of the process.
The complaint also questions the legitimacy of delegates expected to represent ODM’s affiliate leagues.
Citing a November 2025 letter by Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai, the lawyers argue that the leadership of the ODM Youth League may be unconstitutional.
The letter claims that the league’s leader, John Antira Ketora, was already 41 years old at the time, far above the constitutional age limit of 35 for youth league officials.
“No elections for the Youth League have been held,” the lawyers state, adding that similar concerns exist regarding the ODM Women League and Disability League.
“No national elections for both leagues have been conducted in compliance with the ODM Constitution,” the letter adds.
Further concerns are raised about county representation at the convention.
According to the complaint, four counties, namely Migori, Kisumu, Nairobi and Taita Taveta, have not conducted the necessary elections to nominate delegates.
The same situation is reported in three-party branches, namely Mathare, Nyando and Uriri.
The lawyers have also demanded that ODM publish a full list of delegates expected to attend the convention.
“There is a possibility of people who are neither ODM members nor proper delegates attending the Special Delegates Convention and making decisions binding to the party,” the letter warns.
Chepkwony warned that some counties and branches could either be denied representation or send individuals who were not properly nominated.
“There are Counties and Branches that will either be denied representation or will have people who are not properly nominated as delegates,” his lawyers state.
ODM has yet to publicly respond to the complaint. The Special Delegates Convention, widely expected to deliberate on key party matters, is now facing legal scrutiny less than three weeks before the scheduled date.