Kawangware residents on Sunday clashed with groups they described as “political strangers” after what locals say was a deliberate attempt to disrupt ODM’s unity and reconciliation efforts during a church service in Kabiro Ward, Dagoretti North Constituency.
The service, held at the Pentecostal Church and attended by ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, Siaya Governor James Orengo, and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, degenerated into chaos as two rival ODM factions confronted each other, exposing deepening cracks within the party.
The confrontation comes at a critical time when ODM leadership, under the guidance of senior party figure Dr. Oburu Odinga, is rolling out nationwide engagements aimed at stabilising the party and building consensus on its future political strategy. Allies of Dr. Oburu argue that the violence in Kawangware was not spontaneous but a calculated move to derail that process.
Residents accused political operatives aligned to the Sifuna faction of importing crowds from outside Dagoretti North to manufacture tension and intimidate locals. Multiple sources alleged that Kilimani Ward MCA Moses Ogeto, working alongside former MCAs from the constituency, played a central role in mobilising supporters from neighbouring Westlands and Kibra constituencies.
“This was not organic. These people were not from here,” said a resident, adding that locals felt provoked in their own neighbourhood and responded defensively.
The church service itself was largely overshadowed by politics, with speeches taking centre stage and eclipsing the religious purpose of the gathering. Leaders allied to Sifuna used the platform to push a hardline posture, openly dismissing ongoing ODM grassroots consultations spearheaded by Dr. Oburu Odinga—moves that party insiders have termed reckless and divisive.
Critics within ODM accuse the Sifuna-led faction of sabotaging the party from within, undermining collective decisions, and positioning themselves as perpetual opposition without regard to the party’s broader interests or the wishes of its grassroots support base.
In contrast, Dr. Oburu Odinga’s approach—anchored on dialogue, party unity, and strategic engagement—has received overwhelming backing from ODM delegates across its traditional strongholds, many of whom have endorsed talks with the ruling administration as a pragmatic step toward political stability and service delivery.
Amid the tension, Dagoretti North MP Beatrice Elachi emerged as a major rallying point for locals, with residents turning out in large numbers to openly express solidarity with their legislator. Supporters praised Elachi for her hands-on leadership style, accessibility, and consistent engagement with grassroots issues, chanting her name and rejecting attempts by external actors to destabilise her political base.
Observers say the events in Kawangware have laid bare a growing battle within ODM between leaders committed to unity and structured decision-making and a faction accused of prioritising personal political ambition over party cohesion.
As the dust settles, pressure is mounting on the ODM leadership to rein in rogue elements, protect grassroots strongholds, and allow Dr. Oburu Odinga’s unity mission to proceed without sabotage.
