ODM’s Nairobi test: Oburu defends Ruto pact amid Sifuna challenge

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) on Saturday staged a major show of political strength in Nairobi, drawing thousands of supporters to the historic Jacaranda Grounds.

In what was the party's first mega rally since the death of its longtime leader, Raila Odinga, ODM's top leadership sought to demonstrate that it has retained its influence in the capital amid growing political divisions within its ranks.

The rally, held in memory of the late Odinga, brought together senior party officials and leaders allied to the broad-based government.

The leaders used the gathering to dismiss suggestions that ODM was losing its grip on Nairobi, while reaffirming their commitment to President William Ruto’s re-election bid in 2027.

At the same time, the party declared its ambition to take over government in 2032.

Dr Oburu Oginga, who is steering the party following his brother's death, sought to defend ODM's decision to work with President Ruto's administration, insisting that the arrangement was neither accidental nor an abandonment of the party's political interests.

He said the party had entered the broad-based government with a clear understanding of what it hoped to achieve, adding that negotiations with UDA were still ongoing.

Read: ODM: All seats except president up for grabs in deal with Ruto's UDA

"We are in this broad-based government, and we are not there blindly. Raila did not join it blindly, and neither have we. We are there consciously, fully aware of what we are doing," Dr Oburu said. "A broad-based government is completely different from a coalition government. We are still negotiating."

He also warned members who have publicly differed with the party leadership, calling for discipline and adherence to the party's official position.

"We want discipline in our party. If you are a member, please be disciplined and follow the policies of the party," he said.

Deputy party leader and Kisii Governor Simba Arati said ODM would not enter into a political arrangement with President William Ruto's UDA without securing favourable terms, insisting that the party must negotiate the conditions for its participation in the broad-based government.

Mr Arati dismissed calls for ODM to support the President without setting conditions, saying the party had its own interests to protect and would not surrender the bargaining power it had built over the years.

"People are saying that we should not set conditions for His Excellency William Ruto. As the ODM party, we are saying that there must be agreements and conditions. Any cooperation with UDA must be based on conditions that will enable us to enter government," he said.

He told critics questioning the party's negotiating position to stop interfering with its internal decisions, maintaining that ODM would remain committed to the principles championed by its late leader, Raila Odinga.

His remarks reinforced the position taken by other party leaders at the rally that ODM's continued participation in the broad-based government would be subject to negotiations, particularly as the two parties position themselves ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Party chairperson Gladys Wanga dismissed claims that ODM had been deserted by some of its established leaders, questioning the suggestion that those who remained in the party represented an ageing political establishment.

"There are those who claim that they left ODM with its windows, doors and everyone else. We have the true ODM here, and you can see the thousands of people who have joined us as we celebrate Raila Odinga. This is where Baba's spirit lives. We will enter into negotiations with UDA," Ms Wanga said.

The choice of Jacaranda Grounds was itself politically significant. The venue hosted a major rally by the Linda Mwananchi movement on September 13, where Mr Sifuna, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and Siaya Governor James Orengo mobilised supporters in an early demonstration of their political influence in Nairobi.

It also served as one of the late Odinga's key mobilisation centres and a symbolic stronghold of opposition politics in Nairobi's Eastlands. It provided a platform through which he rallied thousands of supporters and demonstrated his grassroots influence in the capital.

The ODM rally also came barely a day after Mr Sifuna unveiled the Linda Mwananchi Movement headquarters in Lavington, at an event attended by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and other opposition figures as the movement stepped up preparations for the 2027 elections.

Read: Written pact or goodwill? Fresh split in ODM over Ruto 2027 deal

The back-to-back political events have turned the city into an increasingly contested political arena, with ODM seeking to defend its traditional influence in the capital against a rival movement drawing support from some politicians who have previously been associated with the Orange party.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, who attended the rally, sought to anchor the political debate in Mr Odinga's legacy, urging leaders to resist ethnic mobilisation and uphold the late opposition leader's commitment to national unity.

"As we mark the final day of remembering Baba, we must remember his values. He was a defender of the vulnerable. Secondly, he wanted a Kenya that was not divided along ethnic lines," he said.

Mr Sakaja said he would be seeking to defend his seat in 2027 on the ODM ticket.

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