ODM grandee Dr. Oburu Oginga has drawn a line in the sand. Storming Kisii County to quell growing dissent, the EALA MP dismissed the Edwin Sifuna-led faction as "detractors" and "idealists" who do not understand the mechanics of statecraft.

Addressing a gathering of delegates, Oburu defended the party’s decision to work with President Ruto, terming it a strategic necessity for the stability of the nation. "You cannot eat politics," he told the crowd. "We are in this government to ensure our people get development, and we are not going anywhere."

Crushing the Dissent

Oburu’s tour of Kisii is seen as a move to firewall the Nyanza base against the rising tide of rebellion within the party. Flanked by pro-government MPs, he painted the collaboration as the fulfillment of Raila Odinga’s long-term vision for a united Kenya.

• The Message: "Baba is in the African Union, but his eye is here. Those making noise in Nairobi are speaking for themselves, not the party," Oburu asserted.
• The Strategy: The aim is to isolate the Sifuna-Babu axis by portraying them as disrespectful to the party leadership and obstacles to the region’s economic growth.
• The Reception: The message received a mixed reaction. While older delegates cheered, youth groups outside the hall chanted for "party purity," signaling that the generational gap is real.

The Irony

For a party built on defiance, Oburu’s call for conformity is jarring. By tethering ODM’s fate to the government’s performance, the leadership is taking a gamble that could either secure their legacy or bury it. For now, the orders from Bondo are clear: hold the line.