Caroli Omondi declares ODM 'dead', says Linda Mwananchi will become political party

Suba South MP Caroli Omondi says the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is dead, arguing the Linda Mwananchi Movement will transform into a political party as it seeks to reclaim the values he says ODM has abandoned.

Omondi, who doubles as the movement's spokesperson, made the remarks during an interview on Spice FM on Tuesday.

"To be frank, ODM is dead. A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that a party is just a name. A party is the values you carry, the aspirations, the agenda, the work plans, and the manifesto, and ODM has betrayed all of those," said Omondi.

He said conmen have overrun the party, crowding out genuine leaders.

"Politics is a very strange game. Conmen thrive really well around political processes because they have no shame, and that became the problem with ODM. Once something becomes popular, every joker jumps in. You find them on stage doing all sorts of things, becoming active and visible, and in the process, they crowd out the good people," he observed.

Omondi took a swipe at party operatives he described as disconnected from real influence.

"Most of those so-called experts are in office, but not in power," he said.

He said the movement will transform into a political party because remaining in ODM is no longer sustainable.

"There is a lot of support for Linda Mwananchi, and there is a very strong desire for change. So, to be in this space, we have to provide a lot of clarity on what is going to happen. Is it that we are going to transform ourselves into a political party because our continued stay in ODM is no longer attainable," he explained.

On the 2027 General Election, Omondi named Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna as the movement's preferred presidential candidate, with plans to negotiate a broader opposition coalition alongside James Orengo and Babu Owino.

Omondi raised concerns over transparency in the issuance of identity cards, saying it undermines public trust in the electoral process.

"What is happening now is that there is no transparency in the issuance of ID cards. If we have good values, people will trust the process. They will go and vote, knowing that their vote will count," he said.

He said parties should not be vehicles for personal enrichment.

"You cannot have political parties becoming avenues for self-enrichment, because that is the very system we have today," he noted.

Omondi called for greater youth participation in politics and faulted parties for failing to properly vet candidates before issuing tickets, saying Kenyans want leaders anchored on values, efficiency and accountability.

He dismissed claims that former President Uhuru Kenyatta backs the Linda Mwananchi Movement, maintaining the group is independent and driven by its own agenda.