NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has formally installed Siaya Senator Dr Oburu Oginga Odinga as its new party leader, marking a significant transition following the death of longtime leader Raila Odinga in October 2025.
The decision was ratified during a Special Delegates Convention (SDC) held at Jamhuri Grounds in Nairobi, where party officials moved to consolidate leadership and chart a new political direction after months of uncertainty.
Dr Oburu, who had been serving in an acting capacity after his nomination by the party’s National Governing Council (NGC), was officially endorsed without opposition. His nomination was proposed by Mumias West MP Johnson Manya Naicca and seconded by Mathare MP Anthony Oluoch, following a motion presented by ODM’s Director of Elections and Campaigns, Junet Mohamed.
As part of the leadership restructuring, Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir and Kisii Governor Simba Arati were confirmed as Deputy Party Leaders, signalling an effort to balance regional representation within the party’s top ranks.
However, the process exposed underlying tensions within ODM. Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi, who had been nominated as a third Deputy Party Leader, failed to secure a proposer or seconder during the convention and was consequently dropped.
“The Senator of Vihiga, Godfrey Osotsi, was brought here by the National Governing Council to become a Deputy Party Leader, but we cannot find here a proposer and a seconder. We’re going to drop him as a Deputy Party Leader,” declared Junet at the SDC.
The leadership changes come amid visible cracks within the party, as a faction allied to the Linda Mwananchi movement boycotted the official convention and staged a parallel “People’s National Delegates Convention” at Ufungamano House in Nairobi.
Key ODM figures associated with the rival gathering included Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, Siaya Governor James Orengo, and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, underscoring the depth of the internal rift.
The parallel convention reflects growing disagreements over the party’s direction and leadership succession in the post-Raila era, raising questions about ODM’s cohesion as it prepares for future political contests.
Broader leadership reshuffle
Delegates at the Jamhuri Grounds convention also ratified several key appointments across the party’s leadership structure.
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga was confirmed as National Chairperson, with Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo and John Ariko Namoit serving as her deputies.
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Other appointments included:
- Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi as National Organizing Secretary
- Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga as Deputy Organizing Secretary
- Kisumu West MP Rozah Buyu as Secretary for Political Affairs
A party at a crossroads
The elevation of Oburu Odinga represents both continuity and transition for ODM, a party long defined by Raila Odinga’s political influence.
While the new leadership seeks to stabilise the party and maintain its national footprint, the emergence of factional divisions signals a potentially turbulent period ahead.
Analysts note that ODM now faces the dual challenge of preserving unity while redefining its identity in a rapidly shifting political landscape.
The parallel conventions and contested appointments suggest that the battle for influence within the party is far from settled.
As ODM navigates this transition, its ability to reconcile internal differences may prove decisive in shaping its role within Kenya’s opposition politics in the years ahead.
