By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
Kenya, 1 January 2026 - As the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) stares into the political horizon of 2027, Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga has stepped forward with a message that is as much about unity as it is about authority, clarity, and discipline within the party.
His New Year 2026 message was a strategic declaration meant to shut down speculation, ambition, and internal confusion that has recently crept into ODM ranks.
Speaking firmly, Oburu called on party members to embrace unity and reject division, warning that ODM’s strength has always rested in cohesion and ideological clarity.
“The year ahead calls upon us to reject division and embrace dialogue, to choose peace over conflict. Progress is only possible when we walk together,” he said, setting the tone for what promises to be a decisive year.
The ODM Party Leader delivered a blunt and unmistakable message to those quietly—or loudly—harbouring presidential ambitions within the party.
According to him, such ambitions are not only premature but fundamentally misguided.
“The law is very clear,” Oburu stated.
“The ODM Party Leader is the automatic presidential candidate. This is him.”
With those words, he effectively poured cold water on any internal presidential manoeuvring.
He dismissed would-be contenders as “daydreamers”, warning that anyone nurturing such ambitions “in my presence is mistaken.”
The message was that ODM is not a free-for-all when it comes to presidential tickets, and the party constitution leaves little room for interpretation.
This declaration directly contradicts recent remarks by Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga, the party leader's sister, who had gone public claiming that she would step in to “fill the void” should ODM fail to field a presidential candidate.
Ruth had argued that if the party opted out of the presidential race, she would offer herself as an alternative.
However, Oburu’s intervention appears to have shut down that narrative entirely.
In reaffirming that ODM’s party laws are “succinct and explicit,” he made it clear that there can be no vacuum to fill in the first place. The party leader, by law, carries the presidential flag.
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In doing so, Siaya Senator was not merely addressing Ruth Odinga’s remarks. Rather, he was restoring institutional order within ODM at a time when internal voices have begun testing the boundaries of party discipline.
His statement reasserts the supremacy of party structures over personal ambition, regardless of lineage or political stature.
Equally significant was Oburu’s disclosure on ODM’s strategic direction ahead of 2027.
He revealed that the party will make its stand known early this year 2026, ending speculation about its long-term political posture.
According to him, ODM has three clear options and the freedom to choose any of them.
First, the party could opt to enter a coalition government under the current administration through a Broad-Based Government (BBG) arrangement.
Second, it could align itself with other opposition coalitions to challenge the government of the day.
Third, and perhaps most symbolically, ODM could go it alone, banking on its grassroots strength and national footprint.
“We have the options,” Oburu noted. “And we have the freedom to choose.”
This statement underscores ODM’s confidence in its political capital while signalling that the party will not be rushed, bullied, or cornered into alliances that do not serve its long-term interests.
Oburu Oginga’s New Year message is a reset button for ODM.
Oburu Moves to Restore ODM Institutional Order, Lists Three Options
Oburu Oginga’s New Year message is a reset button for ODM
