NAIVASHA, Kenya — The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Oburu Odinga has urged party members to take a clear position on the party’s working relationship with President William Ruto’s administration, warning against remaining on the political fence.
Speaking in Naivasha on Monday, August 10, 2026, during a broad-based government retreat led by President Ruto, Oburu called on ODM members with concerns about the arrangement to raise them openly rather than maintain an ambiguous position.
“We are like an umbilical cord, and this umbilical cord should be nursed, and we must fight. Let us be straightforward. If you have any issue that you want to raise, please raise it honestly. But don’t be a fence-sitter,” Oburu said.
Oburu demands clarity from ODM members
The ODM leader said members should decide whether they support the party’s current political arrangement with the Kenya Kwanza administration.
“Don’t be a fence-sitter. You must decide where you are. Because we want to know who is with us and who is not with us. If you are not with us, you are not with us. If you are with us, you are with us,” he said.
His remarks come as ODM continues to navigate its participation in the broad-based government while retaining its political identity and policy agenda.
The arrangement has placed ODM figures in senior government positions, creating a balancing act between supporting areas of cooperation with the administration and maintaining the party’s role in holding government accountable.
Oburu defends ODM presence in government
Oburu also challenged ODM members who feel they are not benefiting from the party’s participation in government, arguing that they should first examine the performance of ODM representatives serving within the administration.
“For the first time, now ODM has a very, very senior position in this government. We have the CS for it, and we also have a [presence] in Parliament. That you have nothing. That you are getting nothing. If you are getting nothing, then first of all, let us blame our own people. Because they are also inside,” he said.
He argued that ODM’s participation in government should give the party an opportunity to influence policy and push for programmes that address the concerns of Kenyans.
The remarks point to the pressure facing ODM leaders to demonstrate tangible results from the party’s engagement with the administration, particularly among supporters who remain uncertain about the political arrangement.
ODM wants policy focus
Oburu said the party should focus on developing policies capable of accelerating Kenya’s economic and social development.
“We are now at a stage where we want to make policies; we want to push policies which will push this country to the first world,” he said.
He also called on President Ruto to account for the administration’s record, including achievements and areas where commitments remain outstanding.
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“Let President Ruto tell us what he has done and what he has not done. What has been done during our tenure, we know. We know,” Oburu said.
The comments came as President Ruto prepared to address the gathering during the Naivasha retreat, bringing together leaders from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and ODM as the broad-based government continues to take shape.
ODM’s political balancing act
Oburu’s remarks highlight the increasingly delicate position of ODM within the broad-based government.
The party must balance its participation in government with the expectations of its supporters and its traditional role as a political force capable of challenging government policy.
With the 2027 General Election approaching, the relationship between ODM and Ruto’s administration is also likely to remain a major factor in Kenya’s political realignments.
For now, Oburu is urging ODM members to make their position clear, arguing that internal disagreements should be addressed openly while the party seeks to use its influence in government to advance its policy objectives.
