- ODM Secretary-General Catherine Omanyo was heckled by attendees at a high-level political forum held at Villa Rosa Kempinski
- Omanyo drew the crowd's anger after she brought up ODM's internal disputes instead of addressing the forum's agenda on Special Interest Groups
- Attendees drowned out her speech with chants as she struggled to continue, eventually walking off the stage
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Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over four years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
Nairobi - ODM Secretary-General Catherine Omanyo was heckled off a podium at Villa Rosa Kempinski, Nairobi, after she diverted from the agenda at a National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) forum on Wednesday, October 14.
Source: Facebook
The High-Level Policy Forum had been convened to bring together representatives from various political parties to address the inclusion of Special Interest Groups (SIGs) in party leadership, governance, and decision-making.
The forum focused on women, youth, persons with disabilities, and marginalised communities.
What triggered Omanyo's heckling
Rather than addressing the forum's agenda, Omanyo drew criticism for raising ODM's internal affairs during her address.
Attendees were particularly agitated by her defence of the UDA broad-based government arrangement, remarks related to the fallout following Edwin Sifuna's ousting from the party's secretary-general position.
The crowd's frustration quickly escalated as attendees began shouting over her remarks, drowning out her speech entirely.
Omanyo attempted to regain the room by pleading that she would drop the ODM-related discussion, but the crowd was not appeased.
Crowd chants force Catherine Omanyo off stage
Chants of "Shuka chini, shuka chini" — Swahili for "come down, come down" — rang through the venue as she attempted to continue.
Others in the crowd called out "Ground imekataa, ground imekataa," meaning the ground had rejected her.
Omanyo eventually stepped down from the stage without completing her address, and celebrations broke out among the attendees when she did so.
The incident comes against the backdrop of deep tensions within ODM following Sifuna's removal and ongoing debate over the party's alignment with the Kenya Kwanza administration under President William Ruto.
Source: TUKO.co.ke