The rift in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has continued to widen, as a faction calling itself G8 has accused party leader Oburu Oginga of double standards and divisiveness.
The group, led by Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives Wycliffe Oparanya and including Members of Parliament from Western Kenya, criticised the Dr Oginga-led group for what they termed as prioritising greed.
Mr Oparanya stated that while he remains a staunch ODM member, he regrets the current happenings in the party that have led to division.
Cooperatives and MSMEs Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya addressing Orange Democratic Movement supporters in Khwisero, Kakamega County on January 18,2026.
Photo credit: Pool
Speaking in Shinyalu, Kakamega County, during an Uwezo/Hustler Fund event on Friday, CS Oparanya expressed shock and sadness about the behaviour of those who should be protecting the legacy of the late Raila Odinga.
The leaders directed their criticism at Dr Oginga and his deputy, Simba Arati, over their recent remarks during the Kakamega ODM delegates meeting, where they accused CS Oparanya of trying to fuel divisions within the ODM Kakamega branch after staging a parallel meeting in Butere last week.
Dr Oginga was accompanied by ODM Chairperson Gladys Wanga and several governors, including Paul Otuoma (Busia) and Fernandes Barasa (Kakamega).
"Greed for money has ruined leaders. A leader moves from one place to another, speaking different things; his head is mixed up. What you are witnessing now was not present during the late Odinga's time. He was a person with a strong stance, which he never changed unless after wide consultations," said Mr Oparanya, who is also a former Kakamega governor.
Mr Oparanya remarked that he is a CS thanks to the late Raila, who made the decision for the ODM party to team up with President William Ruto to help the country.
Those under the self-proclaimed G8 faction are Mr Oparanya, Kakamega Women Representative Elsie Muhanda and MPs Nabii Nabwera (Lugari), Fred Ikana (Shinyalu), Emanuel Wangwe (Navakholo), Titus Khamala (Lurambi), Benard Shinali (Ikolomani) and Christopher Aseka (Khwisero).
The leaders called upon the top ODM leaders to respect Mr Oparanya, threatening to form a splinter group if the party leader, Dr Oginga, does not resolve the standoff in ODM's Kakamega branch.
Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera addressing ODM MPs from the county at Iguhu grounds in Ikolomani, Kakamega County, on September 1, 2025 where he announced himself as the ODM chairman of the county.
Photo credit: Isaac Wale | Nation
This comes as Lugari Member of Parliament Nabii Nabwera insisted that he is the ODM party chair in Kakamega and not Governor Barasa.
"I want to tell Oburu Oginga three things: we were very loyal to Raila Odinga; he respected our loyalty. But please note our loyalty is not transferable; somebody must work for it. Oburu, can you tell Simba Arati that if he points fingers at Oparanya, he is telling us to abandon our party? You cannot abuse a father in his home."
They expressed anger at the remarks made by ODM party leaders during last week's delegates meeting in Kakamega, emphasising the need for respect.
President William Ruto (left) confers with ODM party leader Oburu Oginga during the Piny Luo Festival in Senye Beach in Nyatike, Migori County on December 17, 2025.
Photo credit: Alex Odhiambo | Nation Media Group
They vowed to rally their support behind President Ruto in the forthcoming 2027 polls and requested that Mr Oparanya be given the deputy president seat, considering Western Kenya voting power.
"Don't come here to Kakamega to abuse Mr Oparanya. I am putting you on notice, Simba Arati. If you abuse Oparanya, you have abused the people of Kakamega," the Kakamega Woman Representative warned Mr Arati, noting that Oparanya was not his equal.
She added, "If you know you will come here to abuse Oparanya, you better stay in your area because there are many problems there. Deal with them; deal with Matiang'i. You did not get even a single MCA seat in the recent ward by-elections held there. Stay there and do your work."
ODM party leader Oburu Oginga.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Speaking in Butere, Dr Oginga acknowledged the confusion surrounding the two parallel ODM meetings in Kakamega, stating he had been invited to the area for breakfast and lunch engagements, only to find large groups of delegates from different camps claiming official party recognition.
"I want to ask you, my brother Oparanya, you are a CS. We are asking President William Ruto, this is your dog. This is your dog which we gave you. It was among our main dogs. He must be told to make Kakamega great together with Governor Barasa," Mr Arati warned, as he asked President Ruto to tame Oparanya and openly accused the CS of fueling divisions within the party instead of working to strengthen unity.
Mr Arati claimed the internal wrangles were weakening ODM at a critical moment and called on the Cabinet Secretary to collaborate with the party’s county leadership rather than undermine it.
