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ODM: Party will remain in Ruto's broad-based government until 2027
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party leader and Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga (second right) and Secretary-General Edwin Watenya Sifuna address members of the press in Nairobi on October 27, 2025.
What you need to know:
- The move by the 20-year-old party comes in the wake of intense political jostling to succeed Raila Odinga.
- Key political figures – within and outside ODM – have launched behind-the-scenes machinations to inherit his support bases of Nyanza, Western and Coast.
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) on Monday sought to forestall a looming succession fallout by calling on party officials and members to rally behind its newly-installed party leader, Dr Oburu Oginga.
“We reiterate the commitment of the Party to the broad-based government until 2027, a relationship guided by the 10-point agenda entered into for the sake of peace and stability of the Country,” the party said in a statement read by Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna.
Additionally, ODM announced its commitment to President William Ruto's broad-based government until 2027.
In the first meeting of the Central Management Committee since the death of party leader and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, ODM warned members against instigating internal political conflicts in pursuit of inheriting Mr Odinga’s political bastions.
The move by the 20-year-old party comes in the wake of intense political jostling to succeed the veteran politician, who since 1997 has remained a consequential political player in the country.
Inherit Raila's support bases
Kenya's former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Key political figures – within and outside ODM – have launched behind-the-scenes machinations to inherit his support bases of Nyanza, Western and Coast, potentially threatening to split the outfit. Some of the interested players were already eyeing the control of the ODM party as a way of inheriting Mr Odinga’s backyards, while others were seeking to plant themselves as the new regional kingpins.
“ODM is not just a political party; it is a covenant. Let us resist the temptation to scatter in despair, or to fight over his political inheritance as leaders often do when giants fall,” the party said in a statement read by Mr Sifuna.
The Central Management Committee – the party’s topmost organ – unanimously endorsed Dr Oburu as the new party leader.
The 82-year-old Siaya Senator was appointed acting party leader on October 16, 2025, a day after Mr Odinga's death in India.
Ruto deal - cause of differences
The deal with President Ruto has been at the heart of sharp differences within the party, which played out during Mr Odinga's burial on October 19, 2025.
Top party officials publicly clashed over Mr Odinga's position on whether ODM should back Dr Ruto's re-election bid in 2027. While some of the officials said the party was under firm instructions to remain in the broad-based government, Mr Sifuna said it was the veteran politician's wish for the party to front a candidate in the next presidential election.
But on Monday, Mr Sifuna, while flanked by his party leader Dr Oginga and other party members, announced that party was in broad-based to stay.
Raila's last public address
In his last public address on September 22, 2027, Mr Odinga reminded ODM members to read and stick to the content of the March 2025 MoU, which he insisted does not cover the 2027 elections.
“We have not passed any resolution as a party to say how we are going to go into the elections of 2027. So wherever you are, don’t commit the party to some things that have not been discussed,” said Mr Odinga.
“Let those things be discussed first. We are ODM, who told you that ODM will not have a candidate in 2027? First, think as ODM, we have a clear plan that we have negotiated and agreed on; other decisions will be taken when the time comes.”
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