NAIROBI, Kenya Jan 12 – Senior Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) figures, including Secretary General Edwin Sifuna and Senators Godfrey Osotsi and Ledama Ariko, skipped a Central Management Committee meeting held in Mombasa on Monday, signalling deepening internal divisions within the party.
The party’s Executive Director Odour Ong’wen, who had earlier been listed among those absent, attended the meeting.
Also absent were key figures aligned with a faction that has increasingly questioned the party’s direction and its continued engagement with President William Ruto’s administration.
The meeting, chaired by ODM Party Leader Oburu Odinga in Vipingo, Kilifi County, went ahead amid heightened wrangles over leadership, party discipline and strategy ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking to members of the Central Management Committee, Oburu emphasised the importance of internal consultation, unity of purpose and principled leadership, insisting that ODM would continue engaging its membership and the public in shaping policy and strategy.
He defended the party’s engagement with the Kenya Kwanza government, arguing that dialogue was aimed at securing political and development gains for ODM supporters.
Oburu cited his role in negotiations that resulted in the appointment of senior ODM figures to Cabinet, including Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi, Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi and Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho.
“We are engaging to ensure our people are not left out of national development and decision-making,” Oburu said.
The boycott came days after Oburu publicly challenged critics of his leadership to confront him at the party’s National Delegates Convention (NDC), insisting he was ready for a contest.
“Those who are saying that Oburu was not validly elected, I challenge them to come with me to the NDC. I do not fear anyone,” he said while addressing supporters in Siaya County.
Despite the absences, Oburu struck a conciliatory tone on Monday, reiterating his commitment to dialogue and internal dispute resolution. He praised Sifuna as a “sober and principled voice” within the party, following recent attempts by Migori Senator Eddy Oketch to remove the Secretary General — a petition that was later withdrawn.
“Differences of opinion do not mean division. Great parties grow through debate,” Oburu said, adding that ODM would prioritise engagement over punitive action.
The internal standoff has also drawn intervention from Ida Odinga, widow of ODM founding leader Raila Odinga, who has urged rival factions to embrace dialogue to avert a potential split.
Speaking to Nairobi legislators earlier this month, Mama Ida warned that sustained infighting could undermine two decades of ODM’s political legacy.
“It is my wish that we preserve the party in Baba’s honour as a service to our country,” she said, urging leaders to resolve differences through talks rather than public confrontation.
ODM remains divided over whether to continue cooperating with President Ruto’s administration or pivot fully to opposition politics as preparations for the 2027 polls gather pace.
One faction, associated with Sifuna and outspoken MPs such as Babu Owino, has argued for exiting government engagements and charting a new leadership direction. The opposing camp, aligned with Oburu Odinga, ODM Chairperson Gladys Wanga and several Luo Nyanza leaders, favours sustained negotiations to secure a broad coalition and maximise the party’s influence beyond 2027.
Monday’s Vipingo meeting is widely viewed as an attempt by the party leadership to consolidate control, stabilise internal structures and chart a strategic roadmap for ODM amid mounting pressure from within its own ranks.
