Henry Kosgey Reveals How Kalonzo ‘Stole’ ODM Certificate — and How Raila Dramatically Back the Party
Former ODM founding chairman Henry Kosgey has offered a rare and candid revelation of the power struggles, betrayals and political manoeuvres that shaped the Orange Democratic Movement during its tumultuous early years.
Speaking during the party’s 20th anniversary celebrations, the former Tinderet MP revisited the fallout from the 2005 constitutional referendum, where reformist leaders united under the victorious Orange “No” campaign. The win, he explained, inspired the group to formalise their political momentum into a structured party — later known as ODM.
Kosgey, who chaired the group during its formative stage, said the leadership negotiated a broad-based model that would accommodate both corporate and individual membership. But their plans were immediately upended.
“We returned to Nairobi to register the party and found out that a mischievous character, Imanyara, had already registered the party,” he recalled, referring to lawyer Gitobu Imanyara. “We did not even know him, so we decided to register ODM–Kenya and went ahead.”
Government Obstruction and Internal Tensions
The reformists’ attempt to register ODM–Kenya (ODM–K) was met with resistance from then-President Mwai Kibaki’s administration. According to Kosgey, the government blocked the registration process for months, prompting behind-the-scenes manoeuvres by party officials.
“It was not easy,” he recounted. “The government refused, but through connections, we managed to register the ODM–K party — though we could not be officials because we would lose our MP seats. They refused to give us the certificate of registration.”
When Janet Ong’era eventually secured the certificate, the victory sparked chaotic scenes. Kosgey described how young people in Kibera attempted to snatch the framed certificate during a public presentation, shattering the glass and injuring his hand.
The group later moved to Uhuru Park for what they hoped would be a public launch of the movement, but police dispersed them using tear gas — signalling the tense political climate of the time.
Uhuru Kenyatta “Tried to Harass Us,” Kosgey Claims
Kosgey also accused former President Uhuru Kenyatta of attempting to influence the Orange movement in its infancy.
“Uhuru was pulling, and I called and told him to go back to KANU and build his base there and stop harassing us,” he said, describing strained exchanges within the opposition orbit at the time.
Did Kalonzo ‘Run Away’ With the Certificate?
But the most dramatic moment, Kosgey said, came when Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, alongside the late Mutula Kilonzo and Senator Dan Maanzo, allegedly disappeared with the ODM–Kenya certificate — leaving the reformists without a legally registered political home.
“Kalonzo, Mutula senior and Dan Maanzo continued pulling. They ran away with the party,” he claimed. “We remained partyless. We wondered what to do because ODM–K was gone.”
How Raila Odinga Recovered the ODM Identity
Kosgey credited former Prime Minister Raila Odinga with salvaging the movement after the unexpected setback. According to him, Odinga made the bold decision to track down Imanyara — the lawyer who had initially registered ODM — and negotiate control of the party.
“Raila was a good thinker,” he said. “We went to a restaurant on Lenana Road. He had decided to approach Imanyara. Raila told us that we have the party, and we continued towards the election of 2007.”
Kosgey said the reclaimed ODM identity provided the momentum the group needed ahead of the fiercely contested 2007 general election, run under the slogan Chungwa Moja, Maisha Bora.
Kosgey: Broad Coalition Still ODM’s Best Bet for 2027
Now a UDA politician, Kosgey ended his reflections by acknowledging that ODM’s broad-based structure remains one of its strongest assets.
He suggested that if the party maintains that inclusive approach, it would remain a formidable platform for forming a government in the 2027 elections.
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Henry Kosgey Reveals How Kalonzo ‘Stole’ ODM Certificate — and How Raila Dramatically Back the Party