Babu Owino insists he wants to be ODM party leader
By Emmanuel Rono, March 19, 2026Embakasi East Member of Parliament (MP) Babu Owino has officially declared his ambition to ascend to the highest office within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
Taking to his Facebook page on Thursday, March 19, 2026, Owino declared that he has no interest in the seat, the Secretary General, currently held by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna.
“I want to be the party leader, not secretary general. The secretary general remains Edwin Sifuna,” Owino wrote.
Linda Mwananchi leadership
This comes following a revelation by Saboti Member of Parliament Caleb Amisi, who also serves as an integral member of the Edwin Sifuna-led Linda Mwananchi team, who disclosed that they will soon unveil the leadership lineup of their political formation, following the Orange Democratic Movement’s (ODM) upcoming National Delegates’ Conference (NDC).
While speaking during an interview with the Alfa House Podcast, aired on Friday, March 13, 2026, the outspoken second-term lawmaker stated that it will happen very soon after the NDC, the party’s highest decision-making organ, is convened.
He added that the delay is deliberate, aimed at avoiding early exposure of their strategy, warning that unveiling their team leader too soon could leave him vulnerable to intimidation or even extreme actions such as arrest or abduction by rivals.
Linda Mwananchi Rally
The Linda Mwananchi team, led by Edwin Sifuna and Babu Owino, on Wednesday, March 19, 2026, announced it will hold its National Delegates Convention (NDC) on March 27, 2026.
Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi, while speaking in a presser, confirmed that they will hold their people’s dialogue convention, which is going to run parallel to the NDC organised by the Linda Ground group.
“On 27 March, we are holding an ODM people’s dialogue convention, which is going to run parallel to the NDC organised by the Linda Ground group,” Osotsi said.
He said that Linda Mwananchi will boycott the National Delegates Convention organised by the Linda Ground group, terming it illegal and undemocratic, and noting that some ODM members have already moved to court to challenge its legitimacy.