Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) chairperson Gladys Wanga has defended the legitimacy of the party’s upcoming National Delegates Convention (NDC), urging members, including Edwin Sifuna and Babu Owino, to attend.

Wanga said the Friday, 27, 2026, meeting at Jamhuri Park is the only official NDC recognised under the party’s constitution, dismissing any parallel gatherings as illegitimate.

“There is only one NDC called in accordance to section 49 of our constitution, a special delegates conference, a 21-day notice given, delegates invited,” Wanga stated.

“It will be at Jamhuri Park; anything else would be maybe a kamukunji, a baraza, a political rally, a birthday party, but there is only one NDC of the ODM party that will be taking place this Friday. The NDC is not something I wake up and say this is an NDC, it is called in line with the constitution of the party. Anybody else trying to spread confusion, it is only that, confusion.”

The ODM chairperson emphasized that both Sifuna and Babu are legitimate delegates and should participate in the meeting rather than stage any form of protest.

“Sifuna and Babu are members of the NDC. Sifuna, by virtue of being a Senator of Nairobi, is a delegate at that NDC. Babu, by virtue of being a member of NEC and also MP for Embakasi, is a delegate at that NDC,” Wanga added.

“They are not necessarily going to storm; they can attend the NDC, and we hope they will attend the NDC.”

Wanga noted that the party is currently undergoing a period of transition following the loss of its leader, calling for unity and stability within its ranks.

“We lost our leader, and that is a serious matter. We are stabilising as we move forward. People can have different opinions, as in the case of Sifuna, they can do something different in the manner in which they are doing, but the party must stabilise,” she added.

“Some people will decide to leave, and you can’t stop them.”

She further clarified that the upcoming meeting is a special delegates conference meant to ratify party officials, with a separate ordinary NDC expected later in the year for elections.

“What we are having is a special delegates conference, and this special delegates conference has been called for the purposes of ratification of the officials. Then we have to have an ordinary National Delegates Convention (NDC), and an ordinary NDC is at the end of every 5th year,” Wanga said.

“Therefore we have up to the 31st of December to hold an ordinary NDC, where we will hold elections, where people will run for positions.”

The ODM leadership has in recent days sought to quell internal disagreements, with Friday’s NDC expected to play a key role in shaping the party’s direction.