The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Chairperson and Homa Bay Governor, Gladys Wanga, has reaffirmed the party’s support for a broad-based government, signaling a strategic shift as the party prepares for the 2027 general election.
Governor Wanga stated that ODM is working closely with the current administration and hinted at forming coalitions to capture power in the next electoral cycle.
“We are working with this government; that’s why we gave out our sons and a daughter to stabilize its operations,” she said during an address in her county.
Wanga emphasized that ODM’s strategy involves collaborating with the government to ensure stability while reorganizing internally to strengthen its position.
“As ODM, we are preparing ourselves and strengthening ourselves to capture power come 2027,” she noted, hinting at a potential rebranding of the party to achieve its ambitions.
Addressing criticism from within ODM ranks, Wanga warned against internal attacks on party members serving in the government, including John Mbadi (Treasury) and Opiyo Wandayi (Energy).
“Should we now start fighting these people? As a party, we must recognize that our people are in government and give them their full support,” she asserted, likening such criticism to burning down a house with one’s child inside.
Wanga cautioned party stalwarts against maligning the contributions of ODM members in government, underlining the importance of unity.
“There are people who attack our experts daily. We won’t allow that,” she declared.
With the 2027 general election on the horizon, Wanga revealed that ODM has been reorganizing to position itself as a dominant force, whether independently or through coalitions.
“We are not talking about the reorganization now, but I can assure you that we are going to reorganize ourselves to capture power,” she said.
This declaration puts ODM officials who have criticized the government in a precarious position, testing the party’s unity as it navigates its path to the next election. Wanga’s statements underscore ODM’s focus on regaining political dominance by leveraging both internal reforms and strategic alliances.
