Instead, the announcement of Oburu Odinga as the new Party Leader left several members visibly deflated, with murmurs of disappointment rippling through the crowd.
Many attendees privately complained that the event was more of a stage-managed endorsement than a democratic election.
Delegates said they expected open consultations and fair competition, only to find themselves endorsing a decision that appeared prearranged by the party’s top brass.
Insiders revealed that the initial excitement in the hall quickly faded into quiet resentment as it became clear that calls for leadership renewal had been carefully contained.
Some delegates even described the meeting as a “rubber-stamp ritual,” lamenting that the inclusive spirit that once defined ODM was being replaced by controlled succession politics.
While a few delegates discreetly walked out, others chose silence—either out of loyalty or sheer resignation.
Party officials, however, downplayed the tension, urging unity and rallying members to stand behind Oburu Odinga as a symbol of continuity and stability.
Yet, the discontent appeared to melt away as delegates pocketed handsome allowances, a gesture that many interpreted as a strategic pacifier.
Though dissatisfaction lingered beneath the surface, the heavy envelopes ensured that public dissent was muted—at least for now.
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Politics