Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga addresses the party’s National Governing Council in the past.
Twenty years ago, in the heated crucible of constitutional reforms in Kenya, a giant was born.
The formation of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) was not serendipitous; it was a deliberate dive into the politics of alternative views, the birth of the most recognisable political brand in Kenya, and one that remains synonymous with the struggle for democratic reform, opposition politics, and the quest for social justice.
While the party has never permanently held executive power nationally, its impact on Kenya’s political evolution, especially as an opposition force, is undeniable.
Perhaps the most enduring legacy of ODM is its instrumental role in pushing for constitutional reforms and being at the centre of the 2010 “Yes” campaign that delivered one of the most progressive constitutions in Africa, with devolution as its biggest legacy.
ODM’s relentless advocacy for devolution, judicial independence, and human rights enshrined in the new constitution changed Kenya’s governance framework permanently. Before ODM, opposition politics in Kenya was fragmented, often reactive, and without form or institutional grounding.
ODM professionalised the place of opposition in governance and transformed it into a structured movement with clear ideologies on governance, equality, and social justice. ODM has been a staunch defender and beneficiary of the devolved system.
The party has won and governed several key counties. The party has also greatly expanded civic engagement and political participation through mass rallies, public forums, and grassroots mobilisation, and remains the only party with grassroots structures and strength.
It has brought political consciousness to the average Kenyan through its consistent messaging on citizen participation, emboldening citizens to demand more from their leaders and institutions.
Despite a tumultuous journey marked largely by disputed elections, the party’s evolution toward peaceful engagement, especially seen in the Government of National Unity with President Mwai Kibaki in 2008 and the Handshake between Raila Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta, continues to demonstrate a focus on the people rather than confrontation and a desire to stay in power at all costs.
This maturity has helped stabilise the country, especially when it stood on the precipice of violence. So what are the key lessons from our journey as a party?
A structured opposition is essential to democracy: Opposition parties are not merely vehicles to seize power, but necessary institutions that check the excesses of government, scrutinising policies, calling out corruption, and mobilising civic action, and ODM has proven that democracy is healthiest when dissent is respected and institutionalised.
Ideological consistency matters, but so does adaptability: ODM has long stood for reform, social equity, and people-centred governance. Yet it has also shown a willingness to adapt by entering coalitions like NASA and Azimio la Umoja, and even pursuing post-election dialogue with rivals.
While this has drawn criticism from certain quarters, it reflects a political maturity that prioritises stability over perpetual antagonism.
Leadership shapes political culture: Raila Odinga’s leadership has defined ODM; his endurance, vision, and charisma have united diverse communities under one political umbrella. Grassroots organising matters more than boardrooms: ODM’s strength has always come from the people — from youth movements to women’s leagues; from boda boda riders to university students.
It is the one party that understood very early in its formative years that only a movement rooted in the masses can survive elite betrayals and political realignments, and this has been demonstrated not just by its strength and longevity but by the number of national leaders it has produced.
At 20 years, ODM is not just telling the story of a party, it is weaving a strong narrative of a maturing democracy, the growing pangs of a nation seeking to balance stability and reform, tradition and progress. It is undeniable that surviving as an opposition party for 20 years is no mean feat: we have shaped Kenya’s democratic trajectory indelibly.
As we head into the third decade, our legacy offers a powerful reminder: that real change can only be forged in the depths of opposition, that democracy is not built in the halls of executive power alone, but as much in the echelons of the spirited voices that dare to challenge it.
