Catherine Omanyo Blasts Babu Owino Over ODM NDC Comments
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party interim Secretary General Catherine Omanyo have openly disagreed on the legitimacy of the upcoming National Delegates Conference (NDC), which is scheduled for March 27, 2026.
In an interview with Citizen TV on Sunday, February 22, Babu spelt out the parameters for the party’s next NDC.
He indicated that he and others from the Linda Mwananchi faction would only attend the NDC if the delegates were thoroughly audited before the convention.
He also noted that they will attend the conference scheduled for late March 2026 only if the embattled party secretary general Edwin Sifuna convenes it.
Babu Owino: Sifuna vowed to protect Baba’s interests within the party. Sifuna has not left the party, it is some of the party officials who allegedly suspended Sifuna from the position of the SG. Sifuna has always said he is the SG. He went to court and the court has stated… pic.twitter.com/h8OW8xgv40
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) February 22, 2026
The MP stated that if Sifuna does not call the meeting, its validity will be questioned.
“We can only attend the NDC if the delegates are audited one by one and if the ndc is called by the Secretary General, who is Edwin Sifuna,” Babu stated.
“If Sifuna does not call theNDC, then it will not be an NDC. It will be a Kangaroo meeting.”
Babu stated that if Sifuna does not call for the NDC, the party’s constitution and structure will be jeopardized.
As a result, the NDC will not be legitimate, as all of the party’s office holders are illegitimate save for Sifuna.
“We do not want an ndc that is not procedurally called. We want an NDC called by the Secretary General. None of the office holders followed the procedure to be in office except the SG,” he added.
However, in a swift response, the acting ODM Secretary General, appointed following the removal of Sifuna Catherine Omanyo, disputed Babu’s allegations about the NDC’s legality and who is qualified to call the conference.
The ODM Constitution is clear on how the NDC should be convened:
— Hon. Catherine Omanyo (@HonOmanyo) February 22, 2026
The notice and agenda convening the meeting shall be sent out by the Secretary General, failing which, 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭… pic.twitter.com/vpomB0u5Tk
Omanyo, the Busia County women representative, took to social media to say that the ODM constitution explicitly indicated how the conference should be convened.
Citing the ODM constitution, Omanyo argued that the party NDC shall be convened by a resolution of the national executive committee, and that the resolution shall be ratified by the national governing council (NGC).
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The ODM NDC is held once every five years, but not later than December 31 of the fifth year, at a place, time, and date to be determined by the NEC.
Omanyo added that the party’s SG’s role is only to notify party members.
Still, if the notice is not issued, the NEC can appoint any other party official 21 days before the conference to inform members.
“The notice and agenda convening the meeting shall be sent out by the secretary general, failing which, any other party official specially appointed for that purpose by the NEC at least 21 days before such a date and published on the party website and at least one daily English newspaper with wide national circulation,” Omanyo stated.
Catherine Omanyo Blasts Babu Owino Over ODM NDC Comments
