Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga – who was recently installed as the interim Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader – has convened a crisis meeting of the party’s top decision-making organ on Monday in the face of growing internal fights.
Dr Oburu – who has largely played low-key politics – is stepping in to run the 20-year-old outfit when it is facing major internal wrangles that threaten to consume its influence ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
The 82-year-old politician is facing a delicate balancing act of ensuring the party retains its national outlook by accommodating the interests of radicals, moderates and conservatives within the restive political outfit.
The radicals, led party's Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna, have continued to publicly fight talks of ODM backing President William Ruto’s re-election bid, while conservatives, where Dr Oburu appears to belong, have remained supportive of the broad-based arrangement.
The radicals had, before Mr Odinga died, threatened a walkout from the party should it resolve to back Dr Ruto’s re-election.
Although it is Mr Odinga who led the party in entering the broad-based arrangement, he remained protective of critics of the deal even when other top party officials demanded they be kicked out.
Today’s meeting is expected to set the tone on how the party plans to carry on with its affairs in preparation for the 2027 polls and how it would handle ‘rebels’ within its ranks.
Mr Dennis Onyango, the late Odinga’s spokesperson, described today’s meeting as routine housekeeping business, expected of any organisation that has lost its leader.
“It is not a crisis meeting. It would be a crisis if ODM could not bring itself to meet after the departure of Raila,” said Mr Onyango.
He said the meeting would offer a platform for the party to review its programs and some of the pending activities, including ODM@20 celebrations scheduled for next month.
“There are pending issues like ODM@20 celebrations and demands that more Raila memorials be held in many other parts of Kenya.”
Former Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga dances with other party leaders in Funyula, Busia County on February 28, 2025 as they celebrated the party's 20-year journey.
Photo credit: File | Nation
“There has to be stock-taking on how the party and the government have handled the crisis. There is also the fact that the party has a new leader who needs to familiarise himself with the structures and leaders. The meeting confirms that the structures Raila created are strong and holding firm,” he explained.
Daily Nation has since learnt that Dr Oburu’s installation as ODM boss was hatched by pro-broad-based politicians, who were uncomfortable with Kisumu Governor Prof Anyang’o taking over.
Prof Nyong’o held brief for Mr Odinga when he was campaigning for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson, making him a natural pick for the position. He was, however, seen not to be fully behind the broad-based arrangement, just like his Siaya counterpart, James Orengo, who has been critical of the arrangement.
Both Prof Nyong’o and Mr Orengo are not members of the party’s top organs, edging them out of the major decisions that are likely to shape Mr Odinga’s succession within the party.
A party official, who spoke off the record, told the Nation that there are plans to convene the party’s National Governing Council (NGC) as soon as possible to endorse Dr Oburu’s appointment. According to the party’s constitution, NGC provides strategic direction and ensures implementation of party policies and decisions.
The party is scheduled to hold its National Delegates Convention (NDC) in March 2025. Another party official talked of the need for the party to convene NDC to elect substantive leaders. Most of the current office holders are yet to be ratified by the NDC. It is only Mr Sifuna and National Treasurer Timothy Bosire, who are holding their positions substantively.
Appointments of Ms Wanga, Mr Ososti, Mr Arati, and Mr Nassir are yet to be ratified by the NDC. Their appointments were made by the Central Management Committee that was chaired by Mr Odinga, but was subject for ratification by the NDC, which is yet to sit.
But Dr Oginga, on Monday, downplayed succession tensions in the party, saying “a leader will emerge naturally just as mushrooms grow overnight.”
He said questions about succession were misplaced, insisting that the party has many capable leaders ready to take charge when the time comes.
“Some people have been asking how I will steer this party at my age and how we shall handle succession. I told them that any of the existing ODM leaders has the capacity to lead,” he said.
He likened leadership emergence to the natural growth of mushrooms, saying, “Leaders emerge just like mushrooms grow. You just wake up one morning and find them grown. That’s how God works by elevating leaders.”
Dr Oburu noted that even Raila Odinga was never formally appointed by the Luo community but rose through his own political strength and vision.
Former Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga addresses the party’s National Governing Council in the past.
Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation Media Group
“There was never a meeting to elect Raila as the Luo leader. He just emerged, and that was it,” he said.
He reaffirmed ODM’s commitment to the broad-based government arrangement, saying Odinga left the party within that framework.
“This government is the best for our people. We hope that come the next election, we shall fully sit in it. At the moment, we cannot claim much because we did not vote for it,” he said.
ODM co-deputy party leader Godfrey Osotsi said the Monday meeting would not have a heavy agenda as members are still in mourning Mr Odinga’s demise.
“We shall focus on the unity of the party and the upcoming by-elections,” he noted.
ODM Secretary General, Edwin Sifuna, addresses residents of Funyula at Bukiri Primary School in Busia County on February 28, 2025.
Photo credit: Alex Odhiambo | Nation Media Group
“Such serious decisions should not be rushed. People are still mourning. The focus now should be on uniting the party and remaining faithful to what Baba envisaged,” he said.
He defended Mr Sifuna, saying his remarks are consistent with the party’s agreed position.
“Sifuna is not contradicting anything. We agreed we are in this broad-based government until 2027, and that’s what Raila always said,” Osotsi added.
