Oburu Oginga Lays Down Law on ODM Presidential Candidate amid UDA Talks
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Oburu Oginga has said the opposition outfit will make a definitive decision on its political direction ahead of the 2027 General Election before the end of 2026, amid growing speculation over a possible alliance with President William Ruto’s ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
Speaking on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, as the country prepared to usher in the New Year, Oburu stressed that ODM has not yet fully committed itself to a working partnership with the Kenya Kwanza administration, insisting that several key issues must first be resolved before any binding deal can be struck.
His remarks come against the backdrop of sustained debate within ODM over whether the party should back President Ruto, formally join a broader coalition, or field its own presidential candidate in 2027.
“We have not endorsed a full working relationship yet,” Oburu said. “There are a number of options on the table, and all of them must be carefully considered before we make a final decision.”
However, Oburu was categorical that if ODM ultimately opts to contest the 2027 elections on its own, the party’s presidential candidate is already predetermined under its constitution.
“Of course, if we are going it alone, I want to make it absolutely clear that our constitution already has a presidential candidate,” he said. “That presidential candidate is none other than the party leader. It is the party leader speaking, and I am the party leader. I am the presidential leader for ODM if ODM decides to go it alone.”
The Siaya Senator added that the party has set itself a clear timeline, saying all strategic decisions must be finalised well before the next election cycle begins in earnest.
“Things must be worked out before 2027,” Oburu said. “Going into the new year, before the end of the new year, we shall have decided and made clear all the necessary arrangements. Before the end of the year, our party shall know whether we are going it alone or we are going to go into a coalition with other parties.”
In a pointed warning to senior party figures who may be harbouring ambitions of clinching the ODM presidential ticket, Oburu said the party constitution leaves little room for internal competition should ODM choose to field its own candidate.
“If they want to be the presidential flag bearer post, then they should look for another party because this one already has a candidate,” he said.
His comments are likely to fuel further debate within ODM, where some members have expressed unease over the party’s engagement with UDA and the Kenya Kwanza government. Critics have drawn comparisons with the internal divisions that plagued the Jubilee Party during former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s second term in office.
Oburu, however, dismissed suggestions that ODM is fractured or headed for a split, insisting the party remains united and focused on re-strategising ahead of 2027.
“This party is intact,” he said. “What we are doing is re-organising ourselves and putting our house in order as we prepare for the next election.”
At the same time, the veteran politician said any future cooperation with UDA would be strictly conditional, hinging on the implementation of a 10-point working agenda and the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the two parties in February last year.
He noted that ODM would not hesitate to walk away from the arrangement if the agreed terms are not honoured.
“We must see the respect and implementation of what was agreed,” Oburu said, signalling that the party’s continued engagement with the government is far from guaranteed.
Oburu also moved to quash claims circulating in political circles that ODM has been “sold” to unnamed individuals or interests, describing such assertions as baseless and detached from reality.
“This party is too big to be sold,” he said. “I do not know anybody in the country who can buy the party. Those making such statements are daydreaming. This party is not on sale, nor is it about to be sold.”
The remarks come amid ongoing criticism from within ODM, including from Saboti MP Caleb Amisi, who has publicly questioned the party’s leadership structure and claimed ODM appears divided. Amisi has also challenged Oburu’s position as party leader, arguing that he was not endorsed through a special National Delegates Convention.
With just over a year left before ODM is expected to clarify its 2027 strategy, Oburu’s comments underscore the high stakes facing the party as it weighs whether to chart an independent path or align itself more closely with the current administration.
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Oburu Oginga Lays Down Law on ODM Presidential Candidate amid UDA Talks