A wave of unity is sweeping through Kisumu County’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), as leaders rally behind Dr. Oburu Odinga, who took over the party’s leadership mantle following the passing of his brother and long-serving ODM chief, Raila Odinga.
Meeting in Kisumu with grassroots representatives from across the sub-counties, the leaders described Dr. Oburu as a seasoned statesman with the wisdom, patience, and institutional memory to keep the Orange flame alive and burning bright.
Kisumu Deputy Governor Dr. Mathews Owili led the charge, saying the time had come for ODM to safeguard the ideals Raila Odinga stood for.
“As a team now, it is incumbent upon us that the values Raila believed in live on and outlive the 80 years he lived with us,” Owili said.
“We are behind our interim party leader, Dr. Oburu Odinga, and we will support him to the best of our ability because we know he is capable of taking us in the direction we are going. We want to build a very strong party, as ODM has been since 2007. We have been the strongest even within coalitions, and come 2027, we are going for nothing short of that, either separately or in a coalition.”
The meeting, which also brought both ward and constituency ODM leaders, was also marked by an impassioned call for party unity and discipline.
Seth Okumu, MCA for West Seme, who read the leaders’ speech, hailed Raila as “the father of modern democracy in Kenya” and said that the party must now focus on stability and continuity.
“We express our unanimous and unwavering support to Dr. Oburu Odinga as the interim party leader and to the entire ODM leadership as convened,” Okumu stated.
“Dr. Oburu has been a steadfast figure within our movement; a man of integrity, experience, and institutional memory. His leadership will ensure stability, continuity, and preservation of Raila Odinga’s vision for Kenya. We call upon ODM leadership at all levels to rally behind him, especially during this transition, to ensure unity and focus.”
Okumu further noted that the grassroots leaders were committed to reinforcing ODM’s foundation through transparency, accountability, and active participation across all levels of leadership.
Echoing the same sentiments, Seth Ochieng’ Kanga, Majority Whip at the Kisumu County Assembly and MCA for Market Milimani Ward, cautioned against internal dissonance and urged ODM officials to maintain message discipline.
“We urge the entire ODM leadership and members, from the national office to the grassroots, to speak with one voice so that we don’t confuse our supporters,” Kanga said.
“We have seen instances of our national party officials contradicting each other. Raila Odinga left us in the broad-based government until 2027. After that, we will sit as the entire ODM leadership to chart the way forward.”
As the leaders pledged their loyalty and commitment to the party, the message from Kisumu was that the orange movement is still alive, united, and ready for the next chapter under Dr. Oburu Odinga’s stewardship.
They also agreed to bring on board all aspiring candidates to the Kisumu County gubernatorial race in order to have a consensus on who among them should fly their flag come 2027.
“And as Raila had said before his death, all aspiring candidates to the Kisumu governorship will sit down and agree on who will fly the ODM flag,” he said.
