NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 18 – A faction ODM party, led by Siaya GovernorJames Orengo has announced plans to hold a “People’s National Delegates Convention” (People’s NDC) in Nairobi on March 27.The Linda Mwananchi splinter group on Wednesday said the gathering will run parallel to ODM’s planned National Delegates Conference (NDC) led by Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga, the party leader.Orengo tolds news reporters the alternative convention is aimed at giving ODM members excluded from the NDC a platform to participate. He added that the event’s location will be announced later.“We are fighting for the soul and legacy of the party called ODM and to protect the legacy of Raila Amolo Odinga,” Orengo said, referring to the late party founder.Orengo’s faction also plans a series of public engagements, beginning with a prayer and public meeting in Narok on March 22, followed by a major rally in Mombasa on March 29.Vihiga County MP Godfrey Osotsi described the Linda Mwananchi-led NDC as “illegal” and undemocratic, urging party members to avoid attending what he called a gathering of “fake delegates.”“We control 35 counties out of 47, and we expect that the delegates coming to our meeting will be the legitimate delegates, as opposed to theirs,” Osotsi said.OverreachBeyond internal party politics, Orengo’s faction has also raised concerns about government overreach and mismanagement. Suba South MP Caroli Omondi highlighted unrest in the Nyanza sugar belt, citing forced evictions and unpaid workers at leased sugar mills.Embakasi East legislator Babu Owino criticized Kenya’s national leadership, warning that President William Ruto’s recent conduct sets a poor example and could lead to instability.“We don’t expect the president of the Republic of Kenya to behave the way he did yesterday,” Owino said, referencing comments Ruto made on Tuesday during a Western region tour directed at former Deputy Rigathi Gachagua and Eugene Wamalwa, which were interpreted as body shaming.“The moment you get annoyed as a president, what decisions will you make? Those decisions could lead to chaos.”The faction also condemned attempts to take over private institutions, including Nairobi Hospital, urging the government to prioritize public health and citizen welfare.Orengo and his allies framed the People’s NDC as a corrective measure to preserve ODM’s democratic processes and ideology, which they say are being undermined by the Linda Mwananchi-led faction. He also criticized President Ruto, alleging that his conduct borders on misconduct and “kleptomania,” citing alleged hostile takeovers of state-linked assets.“Kenyans should act now rather than wait until the 2027 election to address leadership concerns,” Orengo warned.The ODM party faces growing internal divisions ahead of its scheduled NDC, with competing claims over legitimate leadership and delegate lists threatening to deepen rifts in the opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections.