Opinion - Ida Odinga’s Unity Call in ODM Will Quell Disquiet | Dawan Africa

By Kepher Otieno - Reporter

Kenya, 8 January 2026 - A humble appeal by Ida Odinga for calm and cohesion within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), delivered during celebrations marking Raila Odinga’s 81st birthday posthumously, has cast fresh light on the party’s simmering internal tensions at a critical political moment.

Her intervention, rare but pointed, underscored growing concern within the party’s leadership that persistent public bickering risks eroding ODM’s moral authority and political focus.

Speaking during the birthday event, Mama Ida urged ODM leaders to pull back from internal quarrels and rediscover the values that have held the party together for nearly two decades.

“This is not the time for endless fights among ourselves,” she said.

“ODM was built on unity, sacrifice and the collective struggle for justice. Let us not destroy what we have built through unnecessary divisions.”

Her remarks drew applause but also reflected unease within the party ranks.

The symbolism was striking.

A celebration meant to honour Raila’s resilience and political longevity instead became a moment of introspection, with the spotlight shifting to ODM’s internal strains.

Ida’s words suggested that the disputes playing out publicly risk overshadowing the party’s broader mission and the legacy of its leader.

At the centre of the current unease are increasingly public spats between Nairobi Senator and ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna and Suna East MP Junet Mohammed, a close Raila Odinga ally and influential parliamentary figure.

While both leaders insist they are defending the party’s interests, their exchanges have fed perceptions of factionalism.

Sifuna has repeatedly positioned himself as a defender of party structures and constitutionalism, often cautioning against what he views as ad hoc decision-making.

“ODM must remain a party governed by rules, not personalities,” Sifuna has said in recent remarks.

“When we abandon our processes, we weaken the very foundation that makes us credible to Kenyans.”

His blunt tone, however, has drawn criticism from colleagues who accuse him of escalating internal disagreements in public.

Junet, on his part, has pushed back forcefully, accusing some party officials of posturing and undermining collective discipline.

“We cannot pretend to be united when some leaders are busy fighting their own party in the media,” Junet said at a recent forum.

“Discipline and loyalty are not optional in a movement like ODM. Personal ambition should never be placed above the party.”

These parallel positions—Sifuna’s emphasis on institutional order and Junet’s insistence on loyalty and cohesion—reflect a deeper strategic tension within ODM.

While ideological debate has always been part of the party’s DNA, the personalization of disagreements between senior figures has raised questions about internal conflict management, especially at a time when the party is recalibrating its national role.

Ida's call was therefore more than a plea for civility; it was a political signal.

More from Kenya

KCSE 2025 Results Show Steady Gains as More Candidates Qualify for University

Heavy Federal ICE Deployment in Minnesota, Then Fatal Shooting: What’s Behind the Surge and What Happened

As a trusted voice within Raila Odinga’s inner circle, her remarks suggested concern that the Sifuna–Junet clashes are not isolated incidents but symptoms of broader succession anxieties and strategic differences.

With Raila increasingly cast as a continental statesman rather than a day-to-day political combatant, competing power centres within ODM have become more visible.

The timing of her intervention is equally significant.

ODM is navigating a delicate phase following its engagement with the Kenya Kwanza administration through bipartisan initiatives.

Leaders such as Junet Mohammed have defended structured engagement as a pragmatic route to securing gains for ODM supporters.

Others, including Sifuna, have warned against blurring the line between engagement and co-option, arguing that ODM must safeguard its opposition identity.

These differences have too often spilled into personal exchanges, amplifying internal strain.

From an analytical perspective, Ida’s remarks highlight a familiar challenge for parties built around dominant political figures: managing transition without fragmentation.

Raila Odinga’s authority has long served as ODM’s unifying glue.

Barely three months after his departure, the party faces a test of institutional maturity—whether it can manage ambition, contain disagreement internally and present a coherent public front.

For ODM supporters, the issue is less about disagreement and more about consequence. Public quarrels between Sifuna and Junet risk alienating the grassroots, especially as economic hardship and governance concerns dominate national discourse.

They also provide ammunition to political rivals eager to portray ODM as divided and distracted.

Ida's message, delivered with restraint rather than confrontation, was a reminder that unity remains ODM’s most valuable political asset.

Whether her appeal tempers egos and redirects internal engagement remains to be seen.

What is clear is that the birthday call was not merely ceremonial—it was a warning that unless internal bickering is checked, ODM’s most serious challenge may not come from outside competition, but from within.

Mr Kepher Otieno is a senior journalist, regular advocate for democracy and good governance, media consultant and columnist based in Kenya.

The opinion expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Dawan Africa.