“If You Want to Leave, Go”: ODM Rebels Put on Notice as Oburu Oginga Loses Patience
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Oburu Oginga has publicly challenged disgruntled members threatening to defect, declaring that the party will not stand in the way of anyone who chooses to leave as it prepares for high-stakes coalition negotiations ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking on Wednesday, January 14, at Kamkunji Grounds in Kibera, Oburu struck a defiant tone during ODM’s first major public engagement since the death of its long-serving leader Raila Odinga, a moment that has ushered in a delicate transition period for the opposition party.
Addressing a charged crowd of supporters and party officials, Oburu made it clear that ODM’s leadership would neither purge dissenting voices nor beg wavering members to stay, even as internal divisions threaten to undermine party unity at a critical political juncture.
“We must walk together, and we have no intention to remove anyone,” Oburu told the gathering.
“But if someone wants to leave, let them leave alone.”
The ODM leader stressed that unity remained essential if the party was to negotiate effectively with potential allies, warning that a fractured movement would have little leverage in future talks.
“If we want to negotiate, we must come together so as to negotiate from a point of strength,” he added.
“You cannot go to the negotiation table when the party is divided.”
Internal cracks laid bare
Oburu’s remarks come amid growing unrest within ODM, with a section of lawmakers and grassroots leaders openly questioning the party’s recent strategic direction, particularly its willingness to engage with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
Tensions escalated in recent days after a group of ODM MPs, led by Kabuchai MP Majimbo Kalasinga, warned of a possible mass exodus if the party moves to expel Secretary General Edwin Sifuna over alleged party infidelity.
The warning exposed the depth of internal disagreement, with critics accusing the party’s top organs of sidelining dissenting voices as ODM recalibrates its national strategy following Raila Odinga’s passing.
Defence of coalition strategy
At the Kamkunji rally, Oburu firmly defended a resolution by the party’s Central Management Committee (CMC) to begin pre-coalition negotiations, dismissing claims that the move signalled betrayal of ODM’s traditional opposition role.
The decision was reached during a CMC meeting in Kilifi on Monday, where party officials agreed to open talks with multiple political formations — including UDA — as part of a broader plan to reposition ODM as a dominant national force ahead of 2027.
According to party insiders, the strategy is aimed at avoiding political isolation while expanding ODM’s influence beyond its traditional strongholds.
Key absentees fuel speculation
While the Kibera meeting attracted senior ODM figures such as party chairperson Gladys Wanga, deputy party leaders Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir and Simba Arati, the absence of several high-profile leaders did not go unnoticed.
Notably missing were Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, Deputy Party Leader Godfrey Osotsi, and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, fueling speculation about deepening divisions within the party’s top ranks.
Their absence has been interpreted by some observers as a silent protest against the coalition push, while others see it as a sign of unresolved power struggles in the post-Raila era.
‘The party will move on’
Doubling down on his stance, Oburu challenged dissatisfied members to follow through on their threats, insisting that ODM would continue with its agenda regardless.
He warned that the party could not afford paralysis at a time when Kenya’s political landscape was rapidly shifting.
The remarks have further exposed and intensified simmering internal tensions, raising questions about ODM’s ability to present a united front as it navigates leadership transition, coalition politics, and preparations for the next general election.
As ODM pushes forward with negotiations, the coming weeks are expected to test whether the party can heal its internal rifts — or whether the warnings of defections will turn into political reality.
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“If You Want to Leave, Go”: ODM Rebels Put on Notice as Oburu Oginga Loses Patience