On July 6, 2016, the then firebrand Budalang’i Member of Parliament, Ababu Namwamba, announced his resignation as Secretary-General of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
While addressing a gathering at Masinde Muliro University grounds in Budalang’i Constituency, Namwamba declared that he would formally submit his resignation letter to the party leadership the following week.
“Ijulikane kwanzia leo kama mtumishi wenu nimetii amri,” Ababu stated.
Namwamba said he had resigned from the position he had held since January 2015, following the exit of Professor Anyang’ Nyong’o, citing dictatorship, frustration, intimidation, and discrimination as the reasons behind his decision.
Ababu Namwamba Quits Party Position
He further claimed that his role as Secretary-General had been stripped of power, leaving him unable to perform effectively.
“Because Ababu was not elected—he was appointed—and his position was more like that of a caretaker. So, how can a caretaker demand the full powers of a Secretary-General?” Ababu questioned
Before his resignation, several ODM leaders accused him of being a Jubilee Party mole working to destabilize ODM from within. At the time, Jubilee was the ruling party under President Uhuru Kenyatta.
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Party officials in Uasin Gishu County, led by their chairman, David Songok, alleged that Namwamba was aligned with Jubilee and undermining ODM’s unity.
“We know who Namwamba is working for, and as a party, we cannot allow him to wreck our party from within. Let him ship out, because we are aware that some forces are behind his habitual criticism of the party that sponsored him to Parliament,” said Mr. Songok.
Namwamba faced sharp criticism from some ODM leaders who accused him of not performing his duties well. They specifically pointed out that he skipped the protests organized by the party which were calling for the disbandment of the electoral body, IEBC, led by Isaack Hassan.
Men in Black Disrupt Party Elections
His troubles in ODM started in 2014 during the party’s National Elections, which were chaotic due to the now-famous “men in black.”
In February 2014, during the ODM National Delegates Conference (NDC) at Kasarani Stadium, a group of men in black suits stormed the venue and disrupted the voting process, leading to the cancellation of the elections.
Namwamba, who was then contesting for the Secretary-General post, was part of the youthful and reformist-leaning “ODM Fresh” team, which included Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, who was vying for Deputy Party Leader.
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They faced off against a rival faction led by Nominated Senator Agnes Zani (for Secretary-General) and Funyula MP Paul Otuoma (for Chairman), which was reportedly favored by ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Years later, in a media interview, Ababu Namwamba revealed that the infamous “men in black” incident during the 2014 ODM National Delegates Conference was not accidental.
He claimed that the men were intentionally planted to disrupt the elections, suggesting that there was a deliberate effort to sabotage the democratic process within the party.
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