By Anderson Ojwang
The brewing storm in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is not about to end any time soon, and it is likely to explode, shattering two decades of unity and strength.
The party has now officially apologised to former President Uhuru Kenyatta over recent attacks by a section of leaders who claim he failed to deliver the presidency to Azimio presidential candidate, the late Raila Odinga, in the 2022 elections.
They also accuse Uhuru of trying to sponsor a takeover using another wing opposed to the broad-based arrangement with President William Ruto.
However, all is not well in the late Raila Amolo Odinga’s party, as leaders have opted for bare-knuckle politics, and it is just a matter of time before the ghost of Ford-K — which pitted Raila against the late Wamalwa Kijana and reared its ugly face over party leadership — consumes ODM.
The Secretary General, Edwin Sifuna, speaking in Lugari during the burial of Cyrus Jirongo, made a public apology to Uhuru over the recent criticisms.
“Hon Uhuru Kenyatta, today is 30th December 2025. Because I am still the spokesperson of ODM, I want to ask you for forgiveness over the recent abuse and attacks by a section of the ODM leadership,” he said.
Sifuna said Uhuru’s contribution to Raila’s pursuit of the presidency could not be downplayed and was immense.
“They have forgotten your role. We were there and we bear witness to your contribution. Today, they want to destroy the hands that fed them. On behalf of the ODM party, I want to say we are sorry. If there is no day ODM has come to thank you for the support, let me say it as the Secretary General of ODM: thank you for supporting Baba,” he said.
Last Sunday in Homa Bay, ODM National Chairperson, Governor Wanga, and Minority Leader in the National Assembly, Junet Mohamed, accused Uhuru of plotting to use insiders in the party to cause internal divisions.
Wanga accused Uhuru of hiring wheeler-dealers within the party to cause chaos and confusion in the outfit, which now enjoys a cordial working relationship with the UDA Party under a broad-based arrangement.
“We have respect for President Uhuru Kenyatta. However, if you want to destroy the ODM Party by sending wheeler-dealers to us, then we reject your plans. We will not take that matter lightly, as we will deal with it perpendicularly,” warned Wanga.
Uhuru dismissed the accusations as “baseless propaganda” used by politicians to mask their own failures.
“I am retired, but let me be clear: if you poke me in the eye, I will poke back. Let us respect one another. I respect the political order and the multiparty space created through great struggle, and others should do the same,” Uhuru said.
Junet claimed Uhuru was enticing some 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 that 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, saying it 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 are 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. 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.
ODM Deputy Leader Geoffrey Osotsi said the Luhya community would not be pushed out of ODM and told Junet that his community has marginal votes.
“If they bring war, we will give it back to them. We are not cowards. We have invested in this party as Luhyas from 2007 to date. We cannot now be told to leave because Baba is not there.
Junet Mohamed, where you come from has marginal votes. We have more votes from our region than yours,” he said.
Oburu has maintained that ODM is in a broad-based alliance and will support President Ruto’s re-election to serve a second term.
However, his younger sister, Ruth Odinga, wants the party to field a presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections.
ODM is increasingly becoming a theatre of absurdity, and it is only a matter of time before the two camps engage in a running battle over party leadership and ownership.
