Chaos as ODM youth groups clash over leadership positions
Tension as rival ODM youth groups clash in Kilifi over leadership positions
Tension as rival ODM youth groups clash in Kilifi over leadership positions
Chaos erupted on Wednesday at the Kilifi county ODM headquarters as youthful members of two rival factions clashed over youth leadership in the county.
Each of the groups was vouching for one of their own to steer the party’s activities in the county leading to a scuffle at the offices.
Push and shove nearly degenerated to blows before the voice of reason prevailed after one group was thrown out of the compound upon the arrival of police.
“Kuanzia leo mimi ndiye officially youth leader wa ODM (from today I am officially the ODM youth leader),” one of those laying claim to the leadership role claimed.
He claimed he had been endorsed by the group as the de facto county youth leader but the decision would be communicated to the ODM National Executive Council in Nairobi for ratification.
“The party has been disrespected and there was a time Secretary General Edwin Sifuna saw that things were not going as expected and he intervened and rectified. As youth, we take a similar stance to ensure the party is solid,” he said.
A member of his faction dismissed the other rival group which he said claimed to be gatekeeping to bar some officials from performing their roles.
“The chairman has no problem, it’s those around him who are making things go astray,” he said.
The group blamed the wrangling on ignorance on the part of a section of ODM youths whose understanding of differentiating between party politics and government was limited.
“Chama kina mwongozo wake serikali ina mwongozo wake; wakija kuelewa hapo labda watakuwa wamepata ufahamu wa kutosha,” one said.
(Party has its guidelines and the government has its own; when they get to understand that they’ll probably be sufficiently enlightened).
The other faction that remained locked out of the compound said it had come to evict the de facto ODM youth chairman on grounds that he was causing disunity in the party.
“Atoke aende zake na hatarudi tena katika hii ODM. Kama anataka ODM aende huko Mombasa kwa hao watu ambao wanapigania debe,” he said.
(He should leave and never come back to this ODM. If he wants ODM, let him go to Mombasa where people are drumming up support but here in Kilifi we don’t want him).
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In an apparent reference to the de facto leader, they said they were ready to welcome back any party member who had left to seek leadership roles in other regions but under one precondition.
“Lakini tungependa kuambia wale ambao waliwahi kuasi na wakarudi, ni waje wakiwa wametulia katika chama. Hatungefurahia kuona vurugu ama mihemko ambayo hatungependa kusikia,” one said.
(We would like to tell those who had rebelled but returned that they should be humble. We would not like to see chaos or emotions that we would not like to see).
“Tunataka watulie, tupange pamoja mikakati ya chama vile kitaenda mbele. Tunataka mtu akiwa amerudi kwa chama awe ameleta faida sio mzigo kwa chama.”
(We want them to be calm so we plan together how to take the party forward. If someone has returned to the party he should be an asset not a liability).
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