NAIROBI - In a calculated move to steady the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) following the death of its iconic leader Raila Odinga, newly confirmed party head Dr. Oburu Oginga is now championing party unity, effectively silencing speculation about the future of Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna. This comes after a crucial Central Management Committee meeting on Monday, October 27, 2025, where the party’s top brass presented a united front, reaffirming their commitment to the broad-based government arrangement with President William Ruto’s administration until 2027.

The resolution, read out by Mr. Sifuna himself, marked a significant shift in tone for the Nairobi Senator, who had been a vocal critic of the pact. “We reiterate the commitment of the Party to the broad-based government until 2027, a relationship guided by the 10-point agenda entered into for the sake of peace and stability of the Country,” Sifuna stated on behalf of the party after the meeting. This public alignment is a dramatic turnaround from the political climate just three months prior.

A History of Friction

The current display of harmony belies deep-seated ideological divisions that peaked in July 2025. At that time, Dr. Oginga, then the Siaya Senator, publicly called for Mr. Sifuna's removal from his influential party position. Oginga sharply criticized Sifuna for his persistent attacks on the ODM-UDA cooperation deal. “We cannot have a party secretary-general who thinks he is superior... If he thinks he is superior, then he should consult Ababu Namwamba so that he understands what has happened to him. Sifuna should leave ODM,” Dr. Oginga was quoted as saying on July 29, 2025, by Tuko.co.ke.

Mr. Sifuna had positioned himself as a leader of a faction within ODM described as “radicals,” who were deeply skeptical of the partnership with President Ruto’s government and had threatened a walkout if the party resolved to back the president’s re-election. The Secretary-General himself had declared in a television interview on July 23, 2025, that he would resign if the party formally decided to support President Ruto in 2027.

A New Era, A New Strategy

The passing of Raila Odinga on October 15, 2025, has evidently forced a strategic reset within Kenya’s largest opposition party. Dr. Oginga, who was endorsed as the acting leader by the National Executive Council on October 16 and confirmed by the Central Management Committee on October 27, now faces the immense task of navigating the party through its most significant transition in 20 years.

Political analysts suggest the public reconciliation is a pragmatic necessity to prevent the party from fracturing. With succession battles looming and various political figures attempting to inherit Mr. Odinga’s vast support bases, the new leadership’s primary objective is to project stability. Following the Monday meeting, the party’s official communication explicitly cautioned the media against “sensationalism and the incessant hunt for negative news within the party,” urging a focus on their efforts to remain united.

While the leadership has closed ranks for now, the fundamental ideological questions that fueled the initial conflict remain. Mr. Sifuna’s recent adherence to the party line has been interpreted by some, including government-allied Senator Samson Cherargei, as a move to secure his position in the new party structure. The long-term implications for ODM’s identity—whether it will maintain its role as a critical opposition voice or fully integrate into a cooperative arrangement with the government—are yet to be fully determined as it prepares for the 2027 general elections without its founder at the helm. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REQUIRED.