Tension gripped Nairobi’s political scene Friday morning after a heavy police presence was deployed at Ufungamano House, effectively blocking access to a planned ODM parallel National Delegates Convention (NDC) organized by a faction allied to Nairobi senator Edwin Sifuna.
Security officers mounted roadblocks and restricted entry to the venue in what appeared to be a deliberate move to frustrate the meeting dubbed the “People’s NDC”.
The blocked gathering had been convened by the “Linda Mwananchi” faction, a rebel wing within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), which has been at odds with the party’s mainstream leadership.
The faction is protesting the ouster of Sifuna as ODM Secretary General and opposing the party’s cooperation with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) under the broad-based government arrangement.
Their parallel NDC was meant to counter the official National Special Delegates Convention (NSDC) being held at the Jamhuri Showground, led by the rival “Linda Ground” faction associated with Oburu Odinga.
Despite the police blockade, Jubilee Party Deputy Organising Secretary Pauline Njoroge, a key ally of the Linda Mwananchi team, insisted the group would push ahead with its plans.
“Hata mfunge njia zote, bado tunakuja!” she declared in a post shared via her official X account.
In a move that has raised concerns over press freedom, journalists attempting to cover the event were also denied entry to Ufungamano House, with police maintaining tight control over the premises.
The developments set the stage for a dramatic political showdown, with two rival conventions, one sanctioned and one blocked, symbolizing the deep fractures within one of Kenya’s largest political parties.
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