Africa-Press – Kenya. Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has cast doubt on the direction of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), declaring that he no longer recognises the party in its current form.
Speaking on Sunday during an engagement with Busia residents at the ‘Linda Mwananchi’ Tour, Babu Owino suggested that the opposition outfit had drifted from its activist roots, accusing it of shifting focus away from mass mobilisation and reform-driven politics.
“We don’t know the current ODM because it is business,” the legislator said.
The legislator framed his criticism within the broader history of political change in Kenya, arguing that protests, not quiet negotiations, have delivered transformative milestones in the country’s governance.
“What ended colonialism in the country? What brought multipartyism? What gave us a new constitution? Is it not protests? Is protests good or bad?” he posed.
He maintained that demonstrations have historically expanded democratic space and secured key reforms, insisting that civic action remains a legitimate and necessary political tool.
This is even as ODM’s strategy has sparked debate within opposition ranks, particularly over engagement with the Kenya Kwanza administration and the party’s broader political posture.
While some leaders have signaled openness to structured engagement and institutional processes, others have called for sustained activism and pressure politics.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, Embakasi East MP, and a section of Orange Democratic Movement leaders began the Linda Mwananchi Tours.
The initiative is expected to involve engagements with wananchi across different regions.
The tour is intended as a multi-stop for grassroots engagement across key constituencies to engage ordinary Kenyans on governance, cost of living concerns, and political direction ahead of the 2027 election cycle.
The organisers describe the tour as a direct response to the growing economic and political anxieties facing Kenyan households, with emphasis on listening to citizens’ voices and relaying those concerns to county and national platforms.
The branding “Linda Mwananchi” (protect the citizen) signals a commitment to prioritising ordinary voters’ concerns over elite political rhetoric, according to public posts tied to the initiative.
Beyond citizen engagement, the tour also serves a strategic positioning purpose for Sifuna, Owino, and allied legislators in the broader political landscape.
As high-profile figures with strong followings in urban constituencies, especially Nairobi, the tour helps sustain their visibility and relevance ahead of party nominations and the general elections.
The tours seek to be a direct dialogue with voters on economic hardship, governance, and accountability.
The faction has maintained a critical stance toward the current broad-based government alignment pursued by other ODM figures, reflecting divergent political strategies within the party.
