ODM leader Oburu Oginga addresses a rally at Kamukunji grounds, Kibera, Nairobi, on January 14, 2026. [Kanyiri Wahito, Standard]
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has launched countrywide consultative meetings, insisting that Oburu Oginga is the party’s bona fide leader and the only one mandated to negotiate on its behalf.
The meeting affirmed support for Oburu to steer ODM into its next political phase, with party leaders vowing to remain in the broad-based government where their late leader, Raila Odinga, left them.
They dismissed claims of internal divisions, saying attempts to fracture ODM would fail, and pledged to head into the next elections united and prepared either to form the next government independently or through a coalition.
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Oburu reiterated that ODM will remain in the broad-based government until 2027, but will negotiate its future political position beyond the elections. In an apparent effort to dispel speculation that some members — including Secretary General Edwin Sifuna — could be pushed out, Oburu said the party had no such intentions.
“We must prepare in unity. We have no intention to kick out people from the party; anyone who wants to leave can do so independently, but as ODM, we want to strengthen the party and negotiate from a point of strength, not weakness,” he said.
“We cannot go to the negotiating table when we are weak and divided. We will go there as a firm and strong party. Moving forward, we will be part of the government and have our strong voices,” Oburu added.
He said the decision to begin the consultative meetings in Kibera was in honour of Raila, who held the constituency in high regard.
“I started with Kibera because I lost my brother, friend and party leader, and I have lived with him for 80 years. Whenever Raila travelled and returned to Kenya, he always started with Kibera. Even when he wanted to make a critical announcement, he came here … so Kibera is critical in our political history,” Oburu said.
During the meeting, Oburu was installed as leader by the Luo Council of Elders and presented with ‘instruments of power’, including a hat, spear, shield and walking stick.
ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga dismissed claims that the party was weakening, saying it remained firm under Oburu’s leadership.
“We know Raila left us in broad-based government as ODM, which is the largest party, and we want all members countrywide to protect our party. As the party leader, he will spearhead negotiations with like-minded parties, starting with the United Democratic Alliance,” Wanga said. The Kibera meeting followed ODM’s Central Committee session in Kilifi, which resolved to begin structured negotiations with other political formations, starting with President William Ruto’s UDA, as part of early preparations for the 2027 General Election.
Oburu was mandated to lead the negotiations alongside nationwide consultative rallies.
Ruaraka MP Tom Kajwang welcomed the move, calling pre-election coalitions “fundamental to democracy and a stable government”, while Dagoretti North MP Beatrice Elachi said ODM was ready to move forward “where Raila left us.”
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ODM leader Oburu Oginga addresses a rally at Kamukunji grounds, Kibera, Nairobi, on January 14, 2026.
[Kanyiri Wahito, Standard]
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has launched countrywide consultative meetings, insisting that
Oburu
Oginga is the party’s bona fide leader and the only one mandated to negotiate on its behalf.
The meeting affirmed support for
Oburu
to steer ODM into its next political phase, with party leaders vowing to remain in the broad-based government where their late leader, Raila Odinga, left them.
They dismissed claims of internal divisions, saying attempts to fracture ODM would fail, and pledged to head into the next elections united and prepared either to form the next government independently or through a coalition.
Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp
Oburu
reiterated that ODM will remain in the broad-based government until 2027, but will negotiate its future political position beyond the elections. In an apparent effort to dispel speculation that some members — including Secretary General Edwin Sifuna — could be pushed out,
Oburu
said the party had no such intentions.
“We must prepare in unity. We have no intention to kick out people from the party; anyone who wants to leave can do so independently, but as ODM, we want to strengthen the party and negotiate from a point of strength, not weakness,” he said.
“We cannot go to the negotiating table when we are weak and divided. We will go there as a firm and strong party. Moving forward, we will be part of the government and have our strong voices,”
Oburu
added.
He said the decision to begin the consultative meetings in Kibera was in honour of Raila, who held the
constituency in high regard.
“I started with Kibera because I lost my brother, friend and party leader, and I have lived with him for 80 years. Whenever Raila travelled and returned to Kenya, he always started with Kibera. Even when he wanted to make a critical announcement, he came here … so Kibera is critical in our political history,”
Oburu
said.
During the meeting,
Oburu
was installed as leader by the Luo Council of Elders and presented with ‘instruments of power’, including a hat, spear, shield and walking stick.
ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga dismissed claims that the party was weakening, saying it remained firm under
Oburu
’s leadership.
“We know Raila left us in broad-based government as ODM, which is the largest party, and we want all members countrywide to protect our party. As the party leader, he will spearhead negotiations with like-minded parties, starting with the United Democratic Alliance,” Wanga said. The Kibera meeting followed ODM’s Central Committee session in Kilifi, which resolved to begin structured negotiations with other political formations, starting with President William Ruto’s UDA, as part of early preparations for the 2027 General Election.
Oburu
was mandated to lead the negotiations alongside
nationwide consultative rallies.
Ruaraka MP Tom Kajwang welcomed the move, calling pre-election coalitions “fundamental to democracy and a stable government”, while Dagoretti North MP Beatrice Elachi said ODM was ready to move forward “where Raila left us.”
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By Irene Githinji and Okumu Modachi