By Anderson Ojwang

In an elaborate and well-calculated move, the civil war in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) could be designed to make it a regional party and basically a Luo party.

And hardly even 90 days before the immediate former party leader Raila Amolo Odinga was buried, allegations of plots to auction his party have emerged.

One camp, led by Siaya Governor James Orengo, claims that a section of the party leadership had been paid to sell out the party and claims he has documentary evidence to that effect.

While the other camp, led by Party Director of Elections Junet Mohammed, claimed there was a plot to auction the party to former President Uhuru Kenyatta.

On Sunday, Orengo said there was a scheme meant to devalue the party from a national outfit and regionalise it as a Nyanza party.

Orengo said that while other ODM strongholds have remained quiet, the civil war was being waged in Nyanza and specifically by the Luo.

“I see an attempt to try and drive ODM to become purely regional, if not a Luo party. The elements of the party from other regions are fairly quiet when we have this civil war within the party,” he said.

Orengo, during a TV interview on Monday night, said the move was meant to muzzle ODM and make it a small or marginal party in a probable alliance with UDA or Kenya Kwanza.

“When you do that analysis and when we choose to work with Kenya Kwanza or UDA, most likely ODM is going to be a small party if they push that into Luo Nyanza basically.
We must be very conscious of that effort, and you can see some pronouncements which make ODM look like a regional party, but it is a national party,” he said.

Orengo warned that if the party leaders were not careful, they may be driven in that direction of ODM becoming a regional party.

In the recent survey by InfoTrack on political party popularity, ODM came second at 19 per cent, behind the ruling party UDA of President William Ruto at 23 per cent.

Jubilee Party of former President Uhuru Kenyatta and DCP of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua tied at five per cent respectively, while Wiper Party of Kalonzo Musyoka stood at four per cent.

Orengo maintained that the plot to auction ODM was real, saying, “For the moment they remain unnamed, but it is quite clear out there that there are people going out of their way to try to get the ODM party into an arrangement that does not make sense.
Before getting into a coalition, it is important to take an audit and put down matters that need to be addressed before you get into the arrangement,” he said.

But Junet, speaking over the weekend, claimed Uhuru was enticing some of the ODM leaders with financial support to revitalise the party in order to join the united opposition.

“If you want to be party leader, go and form your party. There are people who want to take over our party. There are people who are being paid by former President Uhuru Kenyatta. We want to tell them, if they think Dr Oburu has no ability, we are his foot soldiers and we will fight to the bitter end,” he claimed.

Junet promised that 2026 would be an all-out battle and that there would be premium tears, and that they would not be scared by cheap threats.

“Call us brokers, call us thieves, we are not leaving the broad-based government. It is you who is going to leave ODM. Uhuru Kenyatta failed to make Raila president despite having the instruments of power,” he said.

He said it was only the party leader, Dr Oburu, who is mandated by the constitution to run for the presidency.

“There are some within ODM who say that ODM must have a presidential candidate. The constitution says the presidential candidate is the party leader. Dr Oburu is the one who will tell us if he wants to be the presidential candidate or not. This is not a party of drunkards,” he said.

Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga said it was wrong for some party leaders to say that the party would not field candidates in all positions and that ODM should field a presidential candidate.

“We want to have a stronger ODM, and there is no political party that can stand up and say they are not going to field candidates in any of the vacant positions. As for me, ODM will be strong; even me, Adhiambo, I will want to become president. Why don’t you allow me to go as the party presidential candidate?” she said.

Saboti MP Caleb Amisi, on his X handle, wrote, “ODM has approximately seven million members. We have seen members of the Central Management Committee publicly announcing the sale of the party.
One team was dispatched to Ruto’s Kilgoris home on Friday the 26th, and the other team to Uhuru.
As bona fide members, we request the two teams to do their maths well in their negotiations and appropriate the funds to all the 47 branches across the country.”

By Anderson Ojwang

Despite Embakasi East MP Babu Owino having declared interest in the Nairobi gubernatorial seat, his star is on a steady rise and he is emerging as one of the key and significant players in the 2027 presidential election.

Babu is not only emerging as the probable heir apparent to the late Raila Amolo Odinga’s political constituency, but he is becoming one of the preferred and significant presidential candidates in the 2027 General Elections.

However, the poll presents President William Ruto and the opposition with a headache on how to wriggle to victory, with each team having the opportunity to run away with the mantle.

The Infotrak Poll released on December 28, 2025, paints a bright future for the alumnus of Kisumu Boys High School and former student leader at the University of Nairobi.

In the poll on the perceived successors to the late Raila Odinga, Babu topped with 33 per cent and was followed by the new ODM leader, Dr Oburu Odinga, who stands at 10 per cent.

Babu, with a whopping difference of 23 per cent over his immediate followers, speaks of the emerging political dispensation and realignment in the Luo community after Raila’s demise.

Similarly, the emerging political pact between Babu and Raila’s youngest daughter, Winnie Odinga, could be unsettling the status quo and aiding youthful leaders to run away with the crown.

ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga came third with seven per cent, while James Orengo was fourth at four per cent. Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi and Permanent Secretary Dr Raymond Omollo also garnered two per cent each. Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o, Miguna Miguna, Winnie Odinga, and Ochilo Ayako stood at one per cent each.

The undecided stood at 37 per cent and are likely to be swayed by emerging political formations in the country.

Interestingly, two major camps have already emerged in Nyanza, with one supporting the broad-based arrangement and revolving around Oburu, Wanga, Wandayi, Omollo, Mbadi, and Ayako. From this camp, if they unite behind one candidate to be the heir apparent to Raila, the total percentage they can garner in the pursuit is 23 per cent, still 10 per cent behind Babu.

Interestingly, the other wing is composed of Orengo and Babu, while Winnie has shown preference for the Embakasi MP, giving them a combined total of 38 per cent.

Nyong’o and Miguna have not stated their political leanings and may join the list of the undecided.

For Raila’s political constituency, Babu is outstretching his competitors and may be the person heading into 2026 as the significant player ahead of the 2027 General Elections.

For the first time in the presidential category, Babu has perfectly fitted into the void left behind by Raila and now emerges as one of the players at the presidential table.

In the poll, President William Ruto emerged at the top with 28 per cent, a gap which could be worrying to his supporters should the opposition front a joint presidential candidate.

Former Internal Security Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i came second with 13 per cent, while Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka came third with 12 per cent.

Of significance was the emergence of Babu, who came fourth with seven per cent and upstaged DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua, who received five per cent.

Martha Karua and former Chief Justice David Maraga scored two per cent each.

Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga polled one per cent, the same as her Trans Nzoia counterpart, George Natembeya.

The undecided were ranked at 25 per cent, while four per cent preferred not to state their preferred candidate.

In the polling, Wanga is the only ally to President Ruto, and her emergence in the ranking is a positive for the President in his pursuit of a second term.

For the opposition, a united joint presidential candidate would cause President Ruto a nightmare and would give them 42.5 per cent, 8.0 per cent short of victory.

For President Ruto, having only Wanga as an ally leaves him at 29 per cent, requiring 21.1 per cent to secure a second term.

This complex political situation presents both the President and the opposition with an uphill task of strategising on a working arrangement to win the presidency.

For Ruto, he may opt to apply the script of former President Daniel arap Moi that gave him victory during the first multi-party election and the subsequent election.

For the joint opposition, they may have to evoke the late Raila Amolo Odinga’s famous quote of Kibaki Tosha to ride to victory or perish.

For Babu, he has to go back to the drawing board and avoid rushed political decisions to be on the winning team.

By Anderson Ojwang

For the last two decades, Moses Wetangula has controlled the politics of Bungoma County, and his party, Ford-K, has become synonymous with the region.

Moses held the key to any elective post in Bungoma County, and any politician who differed with him was vanquished and suffered his political wrath.

He came to be known as the crocodile of Bungoma politics, and even presidential candidates recognised his immense significance in accessing the Bukusu voting bloc.

Moses, after the death of Wamalwa Kijana in August 2003, waited patiently and inherited the party’s mantle and the community leadership from Musikari Kombo, which he has safeguarded jealously to date and has remained the kingpin.

But Moses may currently not be sitting easy with the arrival of his younger brother, Tim Wanyonyi. His return home from the city’s upmarket constituency of Westlands seems to be unsettling the status quo.

Tim, an acknowledged performer in Parliament, had his constituency recently ranked fifth by Politrack Africa among the top 10 best-performing elected Members of Parliament in Kenya nationally.

Tim, who had previously in 2022 shown interest in the Nairobi gubernatorial seat and was one of the leading contenders, was prevailed upon by the Azimio la Umoja leaders to defend his seat, which he easily won.

Tim, who has been the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) MP for three terms, subsequently relocated his political interests from Nairobi back to his home county of Bungoma, where he is unsettling waters for Moses.

Tim teamed up with Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, immediate former Bungoma Governor Wafula Wangamati, and Kabuchai MP Majimbo Kalasinga, among others, during the recent by-election for Chwele–Kabuchai Ward to serve Moses his first defeats in two decades in his own ward.

The independent candidate, Erick Wekesa, won the by-election with 6,162 votes against Ford-K’s Vincent Maunda, who managed a paltry 2,765 votes — a powerful statement to Moses.

And now, the brotherly fight has emerged after Tim declared that he will not contest for the seat on the Ford-K ticket, a declaration which has not gone down well with the party leaders and organs, who have promised him the battle of his life.

“The only party I cannot contest with is Ford-K, but I don’t know which party I will use,” Tim said.

Ford-K Secretary General John Chikati said the party will conduct its nominations for the gubernatorial candidate and has not settled on Tim Wanyonyi.

“At no time have we talked with Tim Wanyonyi, either at the management level of Ford Kenya or in a structured way, that he is going to be our gubernatorial candidate and that we are going to campaign for him,” he said.

The Secretary General expressed shock after Tim declared that he will not contest on the Ford-K ticket and that he does not know which political vehicle he will use in the 2027 General Elections.

“We are so shocked that Tim is saying he is not going to vie on a Ford Kenya ticket as if he is a member of Ford Kenya. He is fighting a losing battle,” he said.

Bungoma Senator Wafula Wakoli said they have been out looking for a leader who would unite the residents, political parties, and communities in the county, and that Tim has failed the test.

“We were looking for a leader who would unite all parties, residents, and tribes together, but my brother Tim has shown that he is not the kind of person we thought he is.
He has removed the burden that was on our shoulders as Ford-K leaders, and we are ready for him at the ballot,” he said.

Wakoli said the Bungoma gubernatorial seat was not a family affair to be dished out and that Ford-K will field a candidate.

“The seat of the county is not a family affair. The county leadership is above family affairs. Ford Kenya will have its candidates and will conduct nominations,” he said.

But Tim said chest-thumping and violence cost the party in the by-election.

“There are people who have believed that they can get power by force. In Kabuchai here, when they tried that, they didn’t win, but we won. The people they were trying to scare rejected them, voted opposite, and they lost.
Nobody can force you to do what you don’t want to do unless you do it yourself,” he said.

He claimed that Ford-K leadership ganged up to reject the newly elected MCA for Chwele–Kabuchai after a leader approached Wetangula to support his candidature.

“There is someone who took Erick to the Ford Kenya leader and asked him to give him the party ticket to contest, and that he would deliver the seat without the party leader sweating.
They ganged up, saying that he was someone else’s candidate, and they rejected him. You can see the result,” he said.

Tim said the county was being auctioned by political leaders and that the trend must be brought to an end.

“This Bungoma is being auctioned by our leaders, and we are going to say enough is enough,” he said.

Will Tim, who in the Bible was a close companion and mentee of Apostle Paul, a young pastor in Ephesus and the recipient of two New Testament books, hook out Moses — who in the Bible is the central figure in the Old Testament — in Bungoma politics and confine him to his father’s stead?

BY OPCS PRESS SERVICE

NAIROBI – Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has hinted at holding the 2027 General Election alongside a constitutional referendum.

Mudavadi said some of the constitutional issues that need to be resolved can be canvassed into referendum question(s) to be subjected to a vote by Kenyans.

He said that if well structured under the current IEBC, the process is manageable and progressive.

“We can use the 2027 election as the first example to have those issues that have never been resolved crafted well into sensible referendum questions that will help amend our 2010 Constitution,” said Mudavadi.

“Kenyans should buy into this idea and we begin this discussion in 2026 ahead of the 2027 General Election. If you can vote for six people on one ballot paper, I think we are now mature enough to include maybe two or three constitutional questions that can be dealt with so that we move forward,” he added.

Mudavadi, who is also the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, said that just like earlier examples, including the nullification of a presidential election by Kenya’s Supreme Court, this will not only set a precedent in Africa, but a successful process will attract global recognition.

He was speaking during an end-of-year media interview at CHAMS Media in Nairobi on Tuesday.

“The reason I am putting this debate in the public is because we do not want to have arguments constantly on some issues that we know Parliament may not want or manage to resolve. Same with the courts, and thus the voice of Kenyans must prevail,” noted the Prime CS.

The implementation of the NADCO report, he said, could be one of the main anchors of this debate.

“For instance, the NADCO report. We are not hearing much about it, but Parliament was tasked to resolve the issues in it. Now that there is too much back and forth, why can’t we take this to the IEBC and have them craft a question or two to be subjected to a constitutional referendum?” Mudavadi stated.

“There were issues of inclusivity or lack of inclusivity being raised. Perhaps when one wanted to talk about introducing it in the NADCO report, plus the issue of whether we need to have a substantive Prime Minister, this could be a time to resolve it through a referendum ballot,” he noted.

Mudavadi defended concerns about logistical and budgetary implications, saying nothing will change much in terms of the cost of the election as the two exercises will run simultaneously.

He added that once the questions are well crafted and the referendum ballot is availed, Kenyans are mature and intelligent enough to vote for political leadership and also express their voice on a YES or NO question on the constitutional issues to be canvassed.

“I think this is the time. We have other issues like how to deal with the Constituency Development Fund. This matter has been a subject of back and forth between Parliament and the courts, and we need to put it to rest and anchor it in our constitutional framework,” noted Mudavadi.

Mudavadi, who is the former ANC party leader and a key player in the formation of the current administration, said most of the issues that arise after an election and call for the review of governance structures create a lot of debate, making the country remain in an election and political mood over and over again.

“Kenyans have been subjected to this debate of people being short-changed after elections. We have questions of structures that have to be negotiated, and to resolve these issues once and for all, for them to become constitutional and avoid wasting more time after the General Election, this proposal stands the test of time,” Mudavadi pointed out.

“It is time now that we also resolve the issue of gender. This debate on the two-thirds gender rule has remained an endless discussion, and when people ask for public participation, what could be the biggest public participation if not a referendum,” he added.

Mudavadi said an approach that combines the General Election and a referendum, if well managed, will yield greater results, save the taxpayer a lot of money and allow the country to focus on other critical issues, including development, job creation and turning around the economy, instead of continuous politicking.

“First, we will solve issues that our Parliament has been unable to resolve. Two, we will get a higher voter turnout. And three, we will be moving the country away from constant bickering on an issue and towards the next phase of implementing some of those critical matters,” he explained.