Oburu tightens grip on ODM in first post-Raila delegates meeting   

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) on Friday ushered in a new leadership order, claiming its first casualty in the post-Raila Odinga era.

At the centre of it stood Dr Oburu Oginga as he stamped his authority on a party long defined by his younger brother’s towering presence.

Barely moments after receiving the delegates’ nod at a Special National Delegates Convention (SDC) at Jamhuri Grounds in Nairobi, Dr Oginga read what insiders described as a political riot act: a blunt warning against indiscipline, factionalism and internal rebellion.

“Democracy does not mean chaos. It is not intolerance. It is actually just going by the principles of democracy,” he told delegates, his voice measured but unmistakably firm.

It was a statement that set the tone for the day — and perhaps the future direction of ODM.

For a party navigating its first major transition without Raila Odinga at the helm, Friday’s convention was less about ceremony and more about control.

Dr Oginga wasted little time in asserting that ODM would not drift.

“We are not ashamed to say we want power and we are going to remain in power,” he declared, drawing loud chants of “ODM! Power!” from the crowd.

“Without power, you cannot implement any policy… Power first, everything else follows.”

He was clear that the party’s survival and relevance would depend on its ability to organise, negotiate and ultimately capture power in the 2027 General Election.

And that journey, he said, would be anchored on discipline.

“We cannot just sit back and wait for 2027… we have to do it as an organised party and a disciplined party,” he added.

For many delegates, this was the clearest signal yet that the new leadership would brook no dissent.

Read: Power shift in ODM: Oburu, Wanga team ratified, Osotsi axed in SDC purge

The Friday convention delivered its most dramatic moment, with the ejection of Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi from the party leadership.

Mr Osotsi was unceremoniously dropped from the list of deputy party leaders after delegates declined to endorse his name.

In a process that required proposers from the floor, Mr Osotsi’s name drew none.

The silence was deafening, forcing ODM Director of Elections Junet Mohamed to proceed with other names.

Mr Osotsi’s ouster marked him as the first major political casualty of ODM’s internal restructuring in the post-Raila era.

Party insiders linked his fall to his perceived association with the Linda Mwananchi faction aligned to Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna — a group that has in recent months questioned the party’s direction and its growing engagement with the ruling establishment.

To many within ODM’s mainstream, that posture was increasingly seen as disruptive. Friday’s events appeared to settle the matter.

“Democracy does not mean chaos,” Dr Oginga charged, at the event also attended by ODM National Treasurer Timothy Bosire and ex-Secretary General Ababu Namwamba.

While ODM leaders publicly framed the developments as a democratic process, behind the scenes the mood was less ambiguous.

Several insiders described the convention as a “silent purge” — a calculated move to neutralise dissent and consolidate loyalty around the new leadership.

The decision to present leaders individually for endorsement, rather than as a bloc, created space for such outcomes.

And in Mr Osotsi’s case, the verdict was decisive. His removal also leaves the third deputy party leader slot vacant, with party officials clarifying that the SDC lacked the mandate to fill the position immediately.

National Chairperson Gladys Wanga was categorical that: “Vacant positions can’t be filled during an SDC. An SDC only deliberates on the agenda,” she said.

The implication: the battle for that position is far from over.

Amid the tension and political brinkmanship, another symbolic moment stood out. Winnie Odinga, daughter of the late Raila Odinga, stepped onto the stage to loud applause, signaling what many interpreted as her formal political re-entry into the party’s frontline.

Her speech struck a delicate balance — part tribute, part rallying call, and part declaration of intent.

“A few days ago I said ODM is my home. This is where I’m from,” she said, drawing cheers from delegates.

Positioning herself as a voice of the youth, Winnie leaned heavily on the party’s founding ideals, urging leaders not to lose touch with ordinary Kenyans.

“It is not lost upon me that today I may be one of the youngest people that stands on this stage, but I carry the responsibility of their dreams,” she said.

Her message resonated with a crowd still grappling with the absence of her father. But beyond the emotion, her speech carried political undertones.

Observers noted her alignment with the unity and discipline message championed by her uncle Dr Oginga, a stance that appeared to distance her from internal factions seen as confrontational.

“Today I stand before you not just as a proud life member of ODM but as a voice of the vibrant, hopeful and resilient young Kenyans who’ve come from this country,” she said.

“It is not lost upon me that today I may be one of the youngest people that stands on this stage, but I carry this responsibility of their dreams and their aspirations.”

Her remarks landed in the middle of simmering internal tensions, particularly between a faction aligned to Mr Sifuna and a Dr Oginga.

Mr Sifuna, has in recent months emerged as one of the party’s most outspoken voices against the Kenya Kwanza administration.

But Winnie, appeared to align herself with a message focused less on internal party fights and more on re-connecting ODM with grassroots voters.

“What I wanted us to bring back into context is the values of this party. The values that created the foundations of this party… that we built 20 years ago,” she said, referring to ODM’s long struggle as a reform movement.

“Those are the values of our forefathers.”

She warned that ODM risked losing touch with its base, saying the party must never forget the ordinary Kenyans who look to it for hope.

“When I was coming here today, I decided to do something because I feel as a party we may be leaving some of our members behind,” she said, before reading messages she said she had received from citizens through social media.

She insisted that ODM’s future must be anchored on the people.

Beyond internal restructuring, the convention also set the stage for ODM’s broader political strategy.

Delegates ratified a National Executive Committee’s (NEC) resolution paving the way for coalition-building talks — beginning with the ruling United Democratic Alliance led by president William Ruto.

Read: Stopping Winnie Odinga: Petition to end her quest for ODM leadership

The move signals a pragmatic shift for a party that has long positioned itself as the face of opposition politics.

Dr Oginga framed the strategy as both necessary and strategic.

“As we continue to negotiate in this broad-based arrangement, we are going to remain there up to 2027,” he said.

He also made it clear that ODM would enter any negotiations from a position of strength.

“Where ODM has MCAs, MPs, senators and governors, that is non-negotiable. That is ODM. We start from there.”

The approach underscores a party keen to protect its political turf even as it explores alliances.

Deputy Party Leader Abdulswamad Nassir used his address to push back against criticism that ODM’s engagement with rivals amounts to a betrayal of its principles.

“For far too long, as we pursue power for the people, we have been called sellouts,” he said.

“To talk is not weakness. It takes strength to sit down with those you disagree with and find a way forward.”

Risks of fragmentation

His remarks highlighted a long-standing tension within ODM — between confrontation and negotiation — now playing out in a new political context.
Even as leaders preached unity, the convention exposed the party’s shifting internal dynamics.

Ms Wanga’s repeated calls for cohesion reflected a recognition that ODM faces real risks of fragmentation.

“This is not a time for blame, wars or petty ego contests,” she said.

“If we truly honour Baba, then we must show it not only in words but in our conduct.”

Her remarks drew applause but also underscored the delicate balancing act facing the party’s new leadership.

And looming over it all is the question of whether ODM can sustain its unity and relevance without the singular force that once held it together.

As the crowd thinned and delegates began leaving Jamhuri Grounds, one phrase lingered — repeated, deliberate, and defining: “Power first.”

For Oburu Oginga and his team, it is more than a slogan, but the doctrine that will shape ODM’s next chapter.

Dr Oginga now enjoys full authority after delegates endorsed his name, following approval by NEC.

The convention, held at Jamhuri Grounds in Nairobi also endorsed deputy party leaders, with Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir and Kisii Governor Simba Arati securing delegates’ approval as ODM’s new deputy party leaders.

Delegates at the SDC also ratified Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga as the official ODM National Chairperson, cementing her growing influence within the party and positioning her as one of the key faces of ODM’s future political strategy.

In the same breath, Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo and Turkana South MP John Namoit were endorsed as deputy national chairpersons.

The convention further approved Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi as the National Organising Secretary, a position that places him at the centre of ODM’s grassroots mobilisation machinery.

Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Adhiambo Odinga was endorsed as the Deputy Organising Secretary, while Kisumu West MP Rozah Buyu was confirmed as the Secretary of Political Affairs.

A key highlight of the convention was the expedited consideration of a National Executive Council (NEC) resolution pursuant to Article 87 of the ODM Party Constitution, relating to coalition-building arrangements.

Delegates ratified the resolution, effectively giving the party a green light to formally pursue coalition-building talks beginning with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) led by President William Ruto.

The endorsement of the coalition-building framework is expected to shape ODM’s political posture ahead of the 2027 General Election, with insiders saying the party is keen on remaining relevant in national decision-making while also securing strategic political bargains.

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