Since the passing of the late Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader, Honorable Raila Amollo Odinga, in India, the party he built and defended for decades appears to be at a critical crossroads.
Internal divisions are now becoming increasingly visible, as two distinct factions emerge — one leaning toward collaboration with President William Ruto’s broad-based government, and another pushing to safeguard ODM’s autonomy and strengthen its opposition identity.
The once unified movement that rallied behind Raila’s vision of social justice, democracy, and devolution now finds itself torn between pragmatism and principle.
On one side stands a group led by leaders such as Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, who have publicly supported working with the Kenya Kwanza administration in what they describe as a “developmental partnership.”
On the other side, figures like Siaya Governor James Orengo and ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna have cautioned against what they perceive as creeping state capture of the party’s soul.
Speaking in Bondo during Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka’s visit to Raila Odinga’s Opoda Farm, Governor Orengo delivered one of his most pointed remarks yet on the issue.
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Without naming names directly, he took a thinly veiled swipe at Governor Wanga, accusing her and her allies of abandoning ODM’s founding ideals by promoting what he called “state-sponsored political appeasement under the guise of cooperation with President Ruto’s UDA.”
Orengo emphasized that ODM must resist being swallowed by government interests, warning that the party risks “ideological extinction” if it allows itself to be subsumed into the ruling administration.
“This is not the ODM that Raila Odinga built. We cannot betray his legacy by turning the party into a department of government,” Orengo said, drawing loud applause from the crowd.
Sifuna, who has echoed similar sentiments in recent days, insists that aligning ODM too closely with Ruto’s administration could erode its credibility as the country’s premier opposition force.
He argues that Raila’s legacy should guide the movement — one that stands firm in defending democracy, transparency, and accountability.
As ODM grapples with its post-Raila future, the growing ideological rift signals an uncertain path ahead. Whether the party unites around reform or fractures under competing loyalties could determine its survival — and the shape of Kenya’s political landscape beyond 2027.
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