A fresh political rift has emerged within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) in Nairobi County, with Members of County Assembly (MCAs) openly divided over the party’s leadership direction and the role of County Assembly Speaker Ken Ngondi in the unfolding power struggle.
At the centre of the storm is Speaker Ngondi, who a section of ODM MCAs now accuse of quietly orchestrating a revolt against the party’s interim leadership under Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga.
The disgruntled MCAs allege that while the Speaker has publicly projected loyalty to the party’s leadership, he is privately engaging figures opposed to the current direction of the party.
The accusations have raised eyebrows within ODM circles, especially after Speaker Ngondi last week led a group of Nairobi MCAs in a public show of support for Senator Oginga, whom the party has entrusted with steering internal consultations and unity amid growing ideological disagreements.
However, separate reports indicate that the Speaker has since held a series of closed-door meetings with ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, both of whom have been vocal critics of any perceived realignment of ODM with President William Ruto’s administration.
The two leaders are said to be pushing for internal reforms and leadership changes aimed at restoring the party’s traditional opposition posture.
These parallel engagements have fuelled suspicion and confusion among Nairobi ODM MCAs, many of whom now fear that the county assembly could become a battleground for national party politics.
“The mixed signals are destabilising the party at the county level. We need clarity and direction from the top,” said one ODM MCA who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
The unfolding drama has heightened tensions within the assembly, with rival camps emerging and routine legislative business increasingly overshadowed by political manoeuvring. Some MCAs are now calling for urgent intervention by the party’s top decision-making organs, including the National Governing Council (NGC), to restore cohesion and prevent further fragmentation.
As ODM grapples with internal ideological differences at the national level, Nairobi County is increasingly shaping up as a key fault line—one that could significantly influence the party’s unity, discipline, and electoral preparedness ahead of future political contests.