Fresh divisions within the ODM party have intensified after Communications Director Philip Etale publicly criticized individuals who attended a parallel National Delegates Conference (NDC) convened by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and his allies at Ufungamano House on Friday.
The meeting, organized under the Linda Mwananchi faction, ran concurrently with the official ODM Special NDC held at Jamhuri Park, further exposing deep fractures within the party’s leadership and support base.
The Ufungamano gathering brought together key figures aligned with Sifuna, including Babu Owino and James Orengo, and was marked by heavy police presence and attempts to disrupt proceedings.
In a statement shared online, Etale referenced a photo of delegates attending the Ufungamano meeting, singling out one individual whom he accused of celebrating the death of ODM leader Raila Odinga.
“The lady on the right walking majestically celebrated the death of BABA… my leader and mentor,” Etale wrote.
“She has never apologized for the video that went viral at the time Baba’s truest friends were mourning, crying, wailing and asking God many questions.”
He added that while forgiveness is possible, forgetting such actions remains difficult, concluding his remarks with a reflective tone: “God tells us to forgive. Yes we can. But we really forget? No we can’t.”
Etale’s remarks have added a personal and emotional dimension to an already volatile political standoff within ODM.
The Ufungamano NDC itself was convened as a direct challenge to the legitimacy of the official party gathering, with Sifuna and his allies insisting their forum represented grassroots delegates and adhered to party constitutional processes.
During the meeting, Sifuna questioned recent leadership decisions within ODM, arguing that they lacked proper delegate endorsement.
He dismissed the rival NDC as illegitimate, positioning the Ufungamano assembly as the true voice of party members.
The parallel events, coupled with public exchanges such as Etale’s statement, highlight a growing ideological and strategic rift within ODM following the absence of its long-standing figurehead, Raila Odinga.