As the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) adjusts to life after the towering presence of Raila Odinga at the helm, conversations among party supporters are increasingly turning to party leader Senator Oburu Oginga and what his leadership represents for the party’s future.
For many within ODM, Oburu’s leadership is less about dramatic reinvention and more about stability.
His supporters describe him as a steady hand at a moment when the party could easily split under internal pressure and shifting national politics.
Rather than commanding attention through fiery rhetoric, Oburu is seen as drawing strength from institutional memory, loyalty to ODM’s founding ideals, and a measured approach to decision-making.
Malachi Munje, a businessman in Kisumu, says Oburu has done what many expected of him under difficult circumstances.
“Oburu has really tried to steady the ship as the new leader of the ODM party,” Munje says.
He adds “We understand that the shoes left behind by our former party leader are too big, and we didn’t expect him to fill them. He has performed to my expectations as a party member.”
However, Munje and others also argue that Oburu’s role should be transitional rather than permanent.
Citing the physical and political demands of nationwide party mobilization, Munje believes ODM will eventually need a younger, more energetic leader to drive its future.
“Someone younger, energetic and visionary should be handed the leadership,” he says, adding that senior figures like Oburu could then guide the party from advisory positions to keep it vibrant.
Supporters who back Oburu’s current role say his greatest strength lies in continuity without rigidity.
Having walked alongside ODM’s founding leadership through years of opposition politics, internal struggles and national negotiations, Oburu understands both the sacrifices that built the party and the compromises required to keep it relevant.
This long view, supporters argue, reduces the risk of impulsive decisions in a political environment that often rewards noise over substance.
His leadership style has also been credited with bridging generational divides within ODM.
While the party boasts a growing base of young leaders eager for reform, many long-time loyalists remain protective of ODM’s legacy.
Oburu’s presence reassures the old guard while creating room for emerging voices, positioning him more as a custodian of transition than as the future face of the party.
Martha Aluoch, a Kisumu-based businesswoman, says his experience has helped maintain unity in the region.
“As a Kisumu resident, I see Oburu Odinga’s leadership as steady and experienced. He keeps the community and party united, and many people respect how carefully he handles political issues,” she says.
While acknowledging that some supporters wish he would be bolder on reforms, Aluoch believes his leadership has helped keep Nyanza’s voice strong in national politics.
Yet not all voices within ODM are convinced.
Critics argue that Oburu has struggled to assert authority and inspire the party in the way his younger brother did.
Simon Anyonje describes his leadership as underwhelming, saying Oburu often appears uncertain.
“He seems like a man under siege, not sure of what he is supposed to say or do,” Anyonje says, warning that internal rebellions, including factions aligned with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, could deepen divisions within the party if not carefully managed.
Oburu himself has publicly acknowledged the weight of expectation he carries.
Speaking to party supporters in Kisumu recently he has repeatedly emphasized that he is not attempting to replicate Raila Odinga’s leadership style.
“I did not know there would come a day when I would have to wear his shoes,” he said.
“He is my brother, but his shoes are huge. I am not his copy-paste.”
Oburu has openly asked supporters to affirm whether they still trust him with the task of guiding the party and the community.
“It is the people who give a leader strength. Without your support, I cannot move forward,” he told a forum that responded with chants of endorsement.
As ODM charts its next political chapter, opinions on Oburu Odinga remain divided.
To his supporters, he is a stabilizing figure whose calm presence and historical perspective are exactly what the party needs during a delicate transition.
To his critics, he represents an interim solution at best.
What is clear, however, is that his leadership has become central to the wider debate about unity, renewal and the future direction of one of Kenya’s most influential political parties.
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