Africa-Press – Kenya. The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has convened a crucial meeting to deliberate on its future following the death of its founder and leader, Raila Odinga.
The party’s Central Management Committee (CMC) will meet at Orange House in Lavington, Nairobi, under the leadership of the Acting Party Leader Oburu Oginga on Monday morning.
This will be the first time a key ODM organ is meeting, following a brief meeting hurriedly convened on the morning of 16th October 2025 to appoint Oburu as Acting Party leader just a day after Raila died in India.
ODM National Treasurer Timothy Bosire, who is a member of the CMC, confirmed receiving the invite to the meeting, saying the party will be using the opportunity to harmonise its position on emerging issues.
“I will be there tomorrow, and we will be looking at things from a party level. We have had individualised statements in recent times, which some are using to paint a party that is divided,” Bosire said.
On perceived differences within the party, he added, “ODM is a national party. We look forward to a strong party that doesn’t deny room for creative ideas.”
On Saturday night, Oburu sought to calm things down as the country had witnessed a clash of ideas as to whether ODM is fully in government or opposition.
ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna is leading a team of mainly youthful members who have declared that the party has no intention of supporting President William Ruto’s second term bid.
“Raila has left us in the government in this system called Broad-based Government. We have a ten-point agenda, and we will go through them and see how to achieve them,” Oburu spoke at Serena Hotel during the wedding of Abdinoor Salah and Isra Ibrahim Hamza. Abdinoor is the son of Migori businessman Oketch Salah, a close friend of the late Raila.
Oburu, who is also the Siaya Senator, added, “We don’t want to rush just like the young people are doing, talking about 2027, and we are not yet there. You don’t cross the bridge before you reach the bridge. It will be automatic as long as you are working together, but for now let’s work and deliver services for the people of Kenya. That’s our responsibility.”
Tomorrow’s meeting comes at a time ODM insiders have revealed that, as it is currently, the party does not have substantive leaders in most positions, which include party leader Oburu, the three deputies Abdulswamad Nassir, Simba Arati and Godfrey Osotsi and party chairman Gladys Wanga.
The only substantive leaders in the hierarchy of the top seven officials are Secretary General Edwin Sifuna and Treasurer Timothy Bosire
Since the five were nominated by the party’s National Executive Council (NEC), their positions must be ratified by a higher organ like the National Governing Council (NGC) in line with both the ODM constitution and Political Parties Act.
“As of now, ODM has not filed any returns to the office of Registrar of Political Parties to formally effect the changes. So, the five top honchos are only operating in an acting capacity,” one of the MPs said.
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