Suna East MP Junet Mohamed has maintained that leadership positions in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) will only be held by individuals endorsed by party delegates, stressing that any position not approved through the ongoing internal process will automatically be considered vacant and open for competition.
Addressing members during the party’s Special Delegates Convention held at Jamhuri Grounds on Friday, Junet clarified that the gathering was not meant to conduct elections but to formalize decisions that had already been reached through the party’s established organs.
“We are not here to fill any position. If you’re not here and the delegates feel like they don’t want to ratify you then they will not ratify you. Any position that is not ratified will become vacant and will be up for grabs,” he said.
He emphasized that delegate participation plays a central role in determining who holds office within the party, adding that approval from delegates remains the key measure of legitimacy for any leadership position.
Junet further noted that the large turnout at the convention reflected strong participation from members drawn from across the country.
“First, I want to thank our members for turning up in large numbers from all over the country and I am very happy that Kenyans have come,” he said.
He added that ODM’s internal structure has remained strong over time, crediting the party’s leadership for sustaining its organization and continuity.
“I've come to realize that Baba has left us with a machine that's going to live for long,” he noted.
Junet also addressed concerns raised about the purpose of the convention, insisting that ODM operates through clear structures and organs that guide its decision-making processes. He explained that the Special Delegates Convention was mainly meant to ratify resolutions already passed by the party’s key bodies.
“We are not doing any election here we are ratified. You know, we have been consistent in saying that ODM is a party of structures. ODM is patch of organs. So we are ratifying what has been passed in the NEC, what has been passed in the NDC is what we are ratifying today,” he explained.
He reiterated that only positions requiring delegate approval would be confirmed at the convention, warning that any role not ratified would remain unfilled.
“But all those who required approval of the delegates, if they don't ratify any position that's not ratified, it will become vacant, and it will be up for grabs,” he said.
Junet also spoke about ongoing disagreements surrounding certain party positions that have already been occupied, pointing in particular to the office of Secretary General, which is currently under legal consideration.
He referred to a recent court ruling and indicated that the matter had been directed back to the party’s internal mechanisms for resolution.
“The court has said yesterday, it’s not us, it is the Secretary General who went to court to stop his removal. What did the court say? The court said, go back to the party. The party has the final say on your removal,” he said.
A court on Thursday ruled that the dispute involving the removal of ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna should be handled internally by the party, declining to issue a final determination on the matter.
According to Junet, the court emphasized that the party retains authority over such internal issues, effectively returning the dispute to ODM structures for handling.
Junet also criticized how the matter had been reported in some media coverage, suggesting that the court’s position had been misinterpreted in some instances.
He maintained that ODM’s internal systems remain the ultimate authority in resolving leadership disputes and confirming office holders, noting that established party procedures will guide the final outcome of contested positions.