Leadership changes are on the horizon for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) as the party gears up for grassroots elections. The Raila Odinga-led opposition party has officially set the stage for a major shakeup, with polls scheduled to begin in early April.
In a notice issued on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, ODM announced that the grassroots elections would pave the way for selecting new leaders. According to the National Elections Coordinating Committee (NECC), the first phase of voting—covering sub-branch (ward) elections—will take place on Monday, April 7, 2025, at designated centers across all 47 counties.
Once the ward-level elections are complete, ODM will shift its focus to the constituency level. The party plans to elect new officials across all 290 constituencies, starting Wednesday, April 9, 2025.
“The party elections at the Ward (Sub-Branch) and Constituency (Branch) levels will take place on Monday, April 7, and Wednesday, April 9, 2025, respectively,” ODM stated in an official communication.
The party also clarified that only elected delegates at polling units would be eligible to participate in the ward-level exercise.
Polling will take place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on both election days. NECC reiterated that only those elected at the polling unit level would qualify to vote or run as candidates in the next stages.
These grassroots elections will set the foundation for a broader leadership overhaul, affecting key ODM positions. The mainstream roles up for grabs include chairperson, deputy chairperson, secretary, deputy secretary, treasurer, deputy treasurer, organizing secretary, and deputy organizing secretary.
Additionally, the party will elect a secretary for women, youth, disability affairs, and a special interest group representative.
Beyond these high-profile seats, ODM members will also compete for positions in various party leagues and committees. This restructuring is expected to shape the political landscape ahead of the 2027 elections, with some new officials likely to use their positions as stepping stones to higher office.
