ODM is facing renewed pressure to settle its internal political differences, with party leader and Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga warning members opposed to the party’s cooperation with President William Ruto that they must either support the new direction or leave.
Speaking during a broad-based government meeting in Naivasha, Oburu defended ODM’s partnership with Ruto’s administration and challenged dissenting leaders to openly state their position instead of remaining within the party while opposing its political strategy.
“Do not be a fence sitter. Decide where you are because we want to know who is with us and who is not with us,” Oburu said.
His remarks come as divisions within ODM continue to expose competing views over the party’s relationship with the Kenya Kwanza administration and its strategy for the 2027 General Election.
The disagreement has been particularly evident in the political fallout between Oburu and former ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna, with their respective camps taking different positions on the party’s leadership and cooperation with Ruto.
Oburu has previously urged members uncomfortable with ODM’s engagement with Ruto and the United Democratic Alliance to leave, arguing that the party cannot allow internal dissent to derail its chosen political path.
The disagreement has also extended to the question of electoral alliances. In April, Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo joined fellow ODM legislators in opposing a proposed political zoning arrangement, warning that such a deal could place the interests of politicians ahead of those of their constituents.
The debate has also drawn in ODM’s younger members, with a section of the party’s youth previously expressing support for Sifuna after he came under criticism from senior officials.
Despite the divisions, Oburu portrayed the partnership with Ruto as a pragmatic political decision following ODM’s failure to capture the presidency in the 2022 election.
“We missed the presidency and we said it is okay, life must move on,” he said.
He recalled the period when ODM supporters staged demonstrations against the Ruto administration, saying the political landscape had since changed dramatically.
“Ruto could feel our presence on the streets, but as fate could have it, we are together and we are now tied together by this umbilical cord,” Oburu said.
The shift has transformed ODM’s position from a leading opposition force after the 2022 election into a partner in the broad-based government, creating a delicate balancing act for the party.
While supporters of the arrangement argue that working with Ruto gives ODM greater influence in government and an opportunity to advance its interests, critics fear the partnership could weaken the party’s traditional opposition identity.
Oburu also sought to reinforce ODM’s claim to being one of Kenya’s most established political parties, contrasting its grassroots organisation with what he described as temporary parties that emerge around election periods.
“Our party is the longest-serving party. We are organised from the grassroots all the way to the polling stations,” he said.
He added that other political formations were interested in replicating ODM’s grassroots structure.
The growing disagreement leaves ODM facing a crucial political test ahead of 2027: maintaining party unity while managing its alliance with Ruto and the competing ambitions of its leaders.
