Acting Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Oburu Oginga has dismissed claims that Cabinet Secretaries John Mbadi and Opiyo Wandayi represent the party’s stance on national politics.
Speaking on Sunday, Oburu emphasized that the two leaders, who currently serve in government roles, should not be seen as spokespersons for ODM.
“Those of us who are in government like John Mbadi and Opiyo Wandayi, those ones are part of the administration. They are not speaking for our party, the president is their boss,” Oburu said. He added that by accepting positions in government, the two leaders effectively aligned themselves with the Kenya Kwanza administration, thereby stepping aside from representing ODM publicly.
“They had to resign their positions to join government,” he noted.
Oburu’s remarks come amid growing speculation over ODM’s internal unity following the death of its long-time leader and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Public statements from various party leaders have sparked debates on the party’s clarity and direction ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Addressing these concerns, Oburu insisted that ODM’s position on national politics is clear and intact. He explained that discussions regarding pre-election or post-election coalitions will take place when the time comes, and the party’s current engagement with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) remains guided by a shared 10-point agenda.
“But for now, we are staying in this broad-based arrangement which we have with UDA, and the issues we are tackling are also on the 10-point agenda. We have not moved out of that and have not said anything more than that,” Oburu emphasized.
He further clarified that while some members have expressed doubts about ODM’s political direction, the party remains committed to collaboration with UDA under the existing bipartisan framework.
Oburu’s statements reinforce ODM’s stance that participation in government does not equate to speaking on behalf of the party, setting a clear boundary between party representation and government roles.
