By Ongaga Ongaga
A simmering dispute over youth inclusion has surfaced within a major political party, with Senator Eddy Gicheru Oketch accusing the leadership of sidelining young voices in both decision-making and key party events.
In a social media post, Oketch said efforts to address concerns internally over the past year have yielded little progress, describing the situation as “becoming unbearable.”
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He faulted the party for what he termed as the “non-intentional involvement of youth,” arguing that young members are often used symbolically rather than meaningfully engaged.
The criticism comes against the backdrop of preparations for the ODM Youth Convention 2026 Regional Rally, an event expected to showcase the party’s grassroots mobilization among young supporters.
However, Oketch questioned the visibility and participation of prominent youthful leaders in the planning and execution of such events.
He singled out figures such as Winnie Odinga, Irene Mayaka, Jalang’o, and Amina Mnyazi, asking why they were not more prominently involved in driving youth engagement within the party.
According to Oketch, true inclusion should go beyond featuring young faces in campaign posters to giving them substantive roles in financial and programmatic planning.
“And not just having youthful faces in posters, but also honestly involving them,” he stated, adding that young party members are increasingly unwilling to wait for recognition.
“We will not demand for respect, we will take respect.”
