United Opposition Spokesperson Mukhisa Kituyi has extended an open invitation to discontented members of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), urging them to join the emerging Opposition front.
Speaking on Thursday, October 23, Kituyi noted that many ODM members share the same ideological foundation as the United Opposition, making them natural allies. He commended ODM for its historic role in shaping Kenya’s Opposition politics.
“A lot of the people who are in ODM are ideologically closer to Kituyi than quite a number of people I work with in the Opposition. So I do not think we will see them in any way as strangers coming into the house,” he stated.
Kituyi further emphasized that mainstream ODM members have always stood for values that defined Kenya’s Opposition politics, distinguishing them from those who chose to align with President William Ruto’s government.
“There is a section of ODM which has had a national appeal because they stood for the values that made them leaders of the Opposition,” Kituyi added.
His remarks come amid growing internal turmoil within ODM following the death of its party leader Raila Odinga. Even before Raila’s passing, divisions had begun surfacing within the party, with some members favoring cooperation with the Ruto administration while others called for a stronger Opposition stance.
Deputy Party Leaders Abdulswamad Nassir and Simba Arati, alongside National Chairperson Gladys Wanga, have reiterated that ODM will work with the government ahead of the 2027 General Election. However, figures like Edwin Sifuna, Babu Owino, and Caleb Amisi have maintained that ODM should remain in Opposition.
Currently, leadership has been temporarily handed to Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga, as the party deliberates its next move in a post-Raila era. Kituyi’s comments are seen as a strategic attempt to consolidate opposition forces under one banner ahead of 2027.
