The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has fiercely dismissed a viral forged notice purporting to announce sweeping leadership changes, terming it a crude and calculated attempt to mislead party members and destabilize internal processes.
The doctored document, styled to resemble a front-page splash from the Daily Nation, falsely claims that Party Leader Oburu Oginga had convened a Special National Delegates Conference (NDC) slated for March 27, 2026. The alleged agenda included installing Winnie Odinga as Deputy Party Leader and backing Embakasi East MP Babu Owino for the powerful Secretary General position.
But ODM was quick to call out the fabrication.
In a sharply worded statement shared via its official X platform (@TheODMparty), the party dismantled the notice point by point, exposing glaring procedural and factual inconsistencies. Among the red flags: the Party Leader does not sign notices convening NDC or Special Delegates Conferences; such high-level meetings require a minimum 21-day notice—far longer than the nine days indicated in the fake; and critically, the Daily Nation has no record of publishing the purported announcement.
“Fake on arrival,” ODM declared bluntly.
The forged notice went further, listing contentious agenda items including approval of a newly created Deputy Party Leader position “to accommodate Hon. Winnie Odinga,” endorsement of Babu Owino as Secretary General candidate, and recognition of leadership changes involving Caleb Amisi.
Party insiders say the document is part of a broader pattern of misinformation aimed at sowing discord within ODM ranks, particularly as internal alignments begin to take shape ahead of the 2027 General Election. The fake, they argue, mirrors earlier viral claims suggesting Babu Owino had declined a Secretary General bid—claims that were equally dismissed.
Oburu Oginga has since distanced the party from the document, reiterating that no such notice or leadership resolutions have been issued through official ODM channels. While confirming that a legitimate Special Delegates Convention is indeed planned for March 27 in Nairobi under the #TukoTayari banner, he emphasized that all processes are being conducted strictly within the party’s constitutional framework.
Babu Owino himself has also rejected the narrative, stating unequivocally: “I want to be the Party Leader, not Secretary General.”
The controversy comes against the backdrop of growing political momentum within ODM, following recent endorsements by Nairobi delegates backing Winnie Odinga for a senior leadership role. However, party officials insist that the forged notice is nothing more than political mischief designed to fracture unity and derail legitimate internal discourse.
ODM has now issued a firm warning to members and the public: disregard the fake notice and rely only on official party communications. Any attempt to manipulate delegates through forged media content or fabricated signatures, the party says, will be swiftly exposed.
As the March 27 conference approaches amid heightened political intrigue, ODM appears determined to stay the course—insisting its agenda will not be hijacked by what it calls “cheap propaganda.”
