Africa-Press – Kenya. Registrar of Political Parties John Lorionokou now wants the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party to handle the dispute over its Youth League president internally.
In a letter to ODM, Lorionokou said his office had received a complaint from Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai questioning the continued stay in office of 41-year-old John Ketora.
“The Office acknowledges receipt of a letter dated November 19, 2025, from Robert Alai addressed to the party, alleging that the current National Youth League leader, John Ketora continues to occupy the position illegally on the basis that he does not qualify as a youth,” the ORPP said.
Lorionokou’s letter dated December 9 2025, and addressed to Secretary General Edwin Sifuna adds, “Enclosed hereby is a copy of the aforementioned letter for your reference and further action in line with the party constitution.”
Other than being over 35 years, Alai alleges that Ketora does not qualify to hold any party position, having been appointed as the chairman of the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation board recently.
ODM is yet to reply to the letter, but sources within Chungwa House said that the issue will be addressed in the ongoing party elections that will culminate in national elections in the first quarter of next year. Ketora is not expected to defend his seat as he has not been elected as a youth delegate from any branch.
In his complaint, Alai argued that Article 260 of the Constitution of Kenya (2010) unequivocally defines “youth” as: “the collective of all individuals in the country who— (a) have attained the age of eighteen years; but (b) have not attained the age of thirty-five years.”
“This definition is binding on all persons and institutions in Kenya, including registered political parties,” he said.
The Kileleshwa MCA cited the ODM Party Constitution (as amended and adopted on 12th February 2021), which provides under Article 20(2), read together with Article 20(1)(h), that the National Youth League Leader must be a person who qualifies as a “youth” within the meaning of the Constitution of Kenya.
“In other words, the holder of that office must be aged between 18 and 34 years inclusive at the time of election and throughout their tenure.”
Alai claims Ketora was born on August 12 1984, and as of November 19, 2025, Ketora is 41 years and 3 months old.
“He therefore ceased to be a youth, by constitutional definition, on August 12 2019, when he attained the age of 35 years. Ketora’s continued occupation of the office is therefore patently illegal, null, and void ab initio insofar as it relates to the period after August 12 2019.”
Alai then demanded that the Party, through the National Elections Board, announce and conduct fresh, transparent, and democratic elections for the position of National Youth League leader within 60 days, in strict compliance with the ODM Party Constitution and the Electoral Laws of Kenya.
“I remind the leadership that the eyes of our members, the youth of Kenya, the Registrar of Political Parties, the Auditor-General, and the general public are upon us. We cannot demand accountability from the national government while tolerating illegality within our own house,” the letter copied to party leader Oburu Oginga reads in part.
