NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 16 – The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has endorsed Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga as the Acting Party leader following the death of Raila Odinga.
The decision was made during a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Thursday morning.
In a statement read by Deputy Party Leader and Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir after an emergency NEC meeting in Nairobi, the council said Oburu will temporarily steer the party until ODM’s top organs convene to elect a substantive leader.
“The NEC has designated Honourable Dr. Oburu Odinga to be the acting party leader until such a time that the top party organs will meet and elect a substantive leader to fit in the big shoes left by our departed leader,” Nassir announced.
Oburu, who also serves as Senator for Siaya County, is Raila Odinga’s elder brother and a long-serving member of ODM’s inner circle.
The announcement was made as the nation continues to mourn the former Prime Minister, who died in India while undergoing treatment. Raila will be accorded a state funeral and laid to rest on Sunday at his home in Bondo, Siaya County, in line with his personal wish to be buried within 72 hours of his death.
This marks the third formal leadership transition in ODM with the last being in early 2024, when Odinga briefly delegated internal party functions to Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o while pursuing his African Union Commission (AUC) Chairmanship bid.
At the time, ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna announced that Nyong’o would preside over Central Committee meetings in Raila’s absence, allowing the ODM boss to focus on continental diplomacy.
