By Anderson Ojwang
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader, Dr Oburu Oginga, on Sunday tasted the bitter pills of realpolitik after he finally walked out from the shadows of his younger brother, the late Raila Amolo Odinga.
In what was viewed as a battle of the masses between Oburu and his team against Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, the former were outsmarted, outwitted, outshone, and outnumbered by Sifuna’s faction, comprising Babu Owino, James Orengo, Omondi Caroli, Geoffrey Osotsi, among others.
It was a defining moment for the two warring factions as Sifuna’s venue in Kitengela was organic, electric, charged, and packed with hundreds of supporters.
At Tononoka Grounds in Mombasa, the home ground of ODM, it was a poor show, with a minimal crowd attending the Linda Ground rally. This was in contrast to previous functions held by the late enigma at the ground, which used to teem with a sea of humanity—organic and electric.
In Kitengela, the spirit of Raila Odinga descended at the venue, with speakers one after another and the crowd in consonance chanting: “Raila ako hapa sio Mombasa” (Raila’s spirit is here and not in Mombasa) before breaking into the song “Bado Mapambano, Mapambano.”
As was often the case with Raila’s functions in his heydays under successive regimes—where his rallies were laced and punctuated with teargas—Sifuna’s team suffered the same consequences.
Police lobbed teargas into the crowd, forcing supporters to respond by engaging security officers in running battles, leading to the abrupt closure of business premises while several people were injured.
In Mombasa, Oburu said they would not allow people to pull them back after the party mandated him to embark on negotiations with President William Ruto’s UDA.
“I have made my shoes and I have started to walk, so I cannot fall. I want to tell you Raila left us in a broad-based arrangement. I have been mandated by the party to negotiate with President Ruto. I am soon forming a strong team from ODM to lead the negotiations.
We are not going to allow people to pull us backward. Things will not fall apart,” he said.
Babu said yesterday marked an important moment in the party and defined the two factions.
“Today they have the party, but we have the party members. When they go to State House, do they tell you? They go alone. They are trying to threaten us, but they cannot manage us,” he said.
Orengo said the genuine ODM members were in Kitengela and that those in Mombasa should refund President Ruto his money.
“Watu wa ODM ambao wako Mombasa warudishie Ruto pesa zake (Those ODM members in Mombasa should refund Ruto his money). ODM members and leaders are here in Kitengela,” he said.
Oburu said there were currently some disciplinary issues in the party and that the minority must accept the decision of the majority.
“In ODM, as you all know, we have some disciplinary issues within us because we believe that a political party is like a club. It must have some discipline, and democracy doesn’t mean chaos but order.
If you are in the minority and you are defeated, you keep your tail under you and you don’t go out and start talking as if you are the king,” he said.
Sifuna responded that as of February 15, 2026, he was still the Secretary General of ODM.
“Kitengela hoyee, can you see me better? Because of your prayers and the love of God, I stand here in Kitengela as the Secretary General of ODM,” he said.
In Mombasa, Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohammed accused the Sifuna faction of affiliating with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
He said the Mombasa meeting was purely ODM, unlike the Kitengela one, which he said was attended by political leaders from Jubilee, DCP, Wiper, and other parties.
“If they have decided to work with Wamunyoro, let them go. They should not bring division to the people of ODM. We want to work in line with the ODM constitution under the leadership of Dr Oburu Oginga.
The Central Committee mandated us to engage in pre-election coalition talks, and we are starting with UDA. We ask our colleagues to tell us about their plan.
Do you want development or demonstrations?” he said.
He criticised Siaya Governor James Orengo for specialising in the politics of demonstrations and failing to offer development to the people of Siaya.
“Siaya Governor James Orengo only understands the politics of demonstrations. Siaya people have no employment and development, and they have not benefitted from devolution. His only work is to take ODM to the streets.
We don’t fear you, and you cannot intimidate us. We have been in politics, and we have been mentored by Raila,” he said.
But Babu Owino said the fruits of demonstrations cannot be downplayed and that their contribution to a better Kenya is well documented.
Recently, the ODM NEC sacked Sifuna as Secretary General, but the Tribunal Court gave him a reprieve.
Sifuna found solidarity in Raila’s daughter, Winnie Odinga, who wrote on her Facebook page: “It is not well.”
“Every day they say they don’t want demos. Let me ask: how did we chase away the colonialists? What brought multipartyism, the new Constitution, and what brought the broad-based government?” he said.
