Makadara MP George Aladwa during the constituency’s ODM grassroots meeting at Camp Toyoyo Stadium in Jericho, Nairobi, on January 10, 2026. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]
Makadara MP George Aladwa has dismissed meetings convened by the ODM camp allied to the party’s secretary general Edwin Sifuna and Siaya Governor James Orengo.
Aladwa accused the two leaders of trying to auction the party to the opposition and wreck its unity.
The MP said the Sifuna camp was holding unsanctioned meetings to chart Orange Democratic Movement (ODM)’s political path, warning that such parallel forums risk destabilising the party at a critical moment as it prepares for possible coalition talks, including the contentious broad-based arrangement with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
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“Leaders have positioned themselves to speak on behalf of the party. They meet without the party structures. ODM issues will not be discussed in hotels. This should be done at the grassroots and in structured meetings. We cannot allow funerals to be stages for party issues,” Aladwa said, insisting that the party’s future must be guided strictly through established structures.
The standoff comes barely three months after the demise of party leader Raila Odinga, a transition period that has exposed underlying tensions over leadership.
The Makadara MP said ODM has clear organs mandated to make decisions and accused some leaders of undermining internal discipline by acting outside those frameworks. He said the party’s governing body had already endorsed Siaya senator Oburu Oginga to steer ODM’s affairs during the transition period, and no individual or faction should arrogate itself that authority.
“We only have one person who will give direction of the party. We have never had two centres of power in this party,” Aladwa said.
The wrangles have left ODM sharply divided, with some leaders calling for dialogue to steady the party while others insist that only formal structures should guide negotiations and public positions.
At the centre of the dispute is how ODM should engage President Ruto’s administration and whether talks should be led collectively or under a single authorised negotiator.
Dr Oginga recently said he has chaired all meetings related to the broad-based engagements with President Ruto, dismissing claims that decisions are being made through backdoor arrangements.
Oburu said the party would only enter government or electoral pacts through structured, transparent and sanctioned negotiations.
“I want to tell them that all the meetings of the broad-based arrangement with Ruto have been chaired by me,” Oburu said.
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Makadara MP George Aladwa during the constituency’s ODM grassroots meeting at Camp Toyoyo Stadium in Jericho, Nairobi, on January 10, 2026.
[Boniface Okendo, Standard]
Makadara MP George Aladwa has dismissed meetings convened by the ODM camp allied to the party’s secretary general Edwin Sifuna and Siaya Governor James Orengo.
Aladwa accused the two leaders of trying to auction the party to the opposition and wreck its unity.
The MP said the Sifuna camp was holding unsanctioned meetings to chart Orange Democratic Movement (ODM)’s political path, warning that such parallel forums risk destabilising the party at a critical moment as it prepares for possible coalition talks, including the contentious broad-based arrangement with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
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“Leaders have positioned themselves to speak on behalf of the party. They meet without the party structures. ODM issues will not be discussed in hotels. This should be done at the grassroots and in structured meetings. We cannot allow funerals to be stages for party issues,” Aladwa said, insisting that the party’s future must be guided strictly through established structures.
The standoff comes barely three months after the demise of party leader Raila Odinga, a transition period that has exposed underlying tensions over leadership.
The Makadara MP said ODM has clear organs mandated to make decisions and accused some leaders of undermining internal discipline by acting outside those frameworks. He said the party’s governing body had already endorsed Siaya senator Oburu Oginga to steer ODM’s affairs
during the transition period
, and no individual or faction should arrogate itself that authority.
“We only have one person who will give direction of the party. We have never had two centres of power in this party,” Aladwa said.
The wrangles have left ODM sharply divided, with some leaders calling for dialogue to steady the party while others insist that only formal structures should guide negotiations and public positions.
At the centre of the dispute is how ODM should engage President Ruto’s administration and whether talks should be led collectively or under a single authorised negotiator.
Dr Oginga recently said he has chaired all meetings related to the broad-based engagements with President Ruto, dismissing claims that decisions are being made through backdoor arrangements.
Oburu said the party would only enter government or electoral pacts through structured,
transparent and sanctioned negotiations
.
“I want to tell them that all the meetings of the broad-based arrangement with Ruto have been chaired by me,” Oburu said.
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By Mike Kihaki