The Kisumu County leadership of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has thrown its full support behind a decision by party leader Oburu Oginga to postpone the county party elections, citing a tense and polarized political environment.
Speaking on Tuesday, March 10, ODM Kisumu County Chairman Paul Otieno Akeyo said the party leadership in the county stands firmly behind the directive to suspend the elections that had been scheduled for Friday, March 6, 2026.
Akeyo said intelligence reports indicated that the internal electoral process had been infiltrated by outsiders and individuals pursuing external interests, forcing the party leader to intervene to safeguard peace, stability, and the integrity of the party’s internal democratic processes.
“The Party Leader cited a polarized environment informed by intelligence as the reason for this necessary action,” Akeyo said. “For the sake of peace and stability, he moved to cancel the exercise.”
The county leadership emphasized that since the directive to postpone the elections came directly from the party leader, any further communication or decision regarding the polls will also originate from him.
At the same time, ODM officials in Kisumu warned against a series of meetings reportedly being held across the county by individuals claiming to be mobilizing for the postponed elections.
Akeyo said the gatherings are not sanctioned by the official party leadership and urged members to instead focus on recruiting new members and mobilizing voters ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In a bid to restore order and consolidate unity within the party, the county chairman announced a delegates’ meeting bringing together representatives from all seven sub-counties.
The meeting is scheduled for Friday, March 13, 2026, and will also serve as a consultative forum for Kisumu delegates ahead of the party’s National Delegates Conference slated for March 27.
ODM members in the county have been urged to remain calm, disciplined, and rely only on official communication from recognized county leadership channels.
Akeyo’s sentiments were echoed by Kisumu Central ODM Chairman Seth Ochieng Kanga, popularly known as Adui Nyang’, alongside other party leaders who said they will maintain their current positions until further direction is issued by the party leader.
