Sifuna And Babu Owino Evade Police Cordons To Lead Defiant Parallel ODM Meeting At Ufungamano House

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Babu Owino bypass police to lead a parallel ODM meeting at Ufungamano House, challenging the legitimacy of Oburu Oginga.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 27, 2026, 4:41 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from TUKO.co.ke

Defying The Cordon At A Historic Political Landmark

In a morning marked by high tactical maneuvering, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino managed to bypass a dense perimeter of armed security forces to enter Ufungamano House. The historic venue, long associated with Kenya’s struggle for multi party democracy, was surrounded by police on Friday, March 27, in an attempt to thwart a meeting organized by the "Linda Mwananchi" faction. Despite the heavy deployment, the leaders successfully led hundreds of supporters into the premises, signaling a deepening rift within the Orange Democratic Movement.

The Emergence Of Two Distinct Political Factions

The split within the party was visually and ideologically stark, with the Sifuna led contingent donning blue attire to distinguish themselves from the traditional orange worn at the official party function. Joining Sifuna at the Ufungamano venue were notable figures including Siaya Governor James Orengo and Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi. This gathering took place as a parallel National Delegates Convention was underway at Jamhuri Grounds, led by Oburu Oginga and supported by high ranking officials such as Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga and Deputy Party Leaders Abdulswamad Shariff and Simba Arati.

Challenging The Legitimacy Of New Party Leadership

At the heart of the confrontation is a dispute over the transition of power during the absence of the party’s traditional leader. Senator Sifuna openly questioned the legitimacy of the Jamhuri Grounds convention, labeling it a gathering of "conmen" intended to replace the established leadership without a proper mandate. Sifuna claimed that while he was away on official business, an unauthorized shift occurred to install Oburu Oginga as the party leader. He declared the parallel "Linda Mwananchi" movement as the true representative of the people’s will, rejecting the broad based political arrangement currently being pursued by the rival faction.