The battle for the soul of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has claimed its latest casualty. In a stinging rebuke that reverberated through the political corridors of Capitol Hill, the party has publicly disowned businessman Oketch Salah, labeling him an impostor and declaring his actions "null and void." The move follows a disastrous event at the KICC where Salah, claiming to be the "adopted son" of the late Raila Odinga, attempted to steer the party into an unauthorized embrace of the ruling government.

The saga of Oketch Salah is a study in political opportunism. Rising from obscurity following the death of the enigma Raila Odinga in October 2025, Salah has aggressively positioned himself as the custodian of the late leader’s "final wishes." His narrative—that Raila wanted ODM to support President William Ruto in 2027—has sparked a civil war within the party. The Odinga family, led by Winnie Odinga and Raila Junior, has finally said "enough is enough," exposing Salah’s claims as a fabrication designed to hijack the party’s legacy for personal gain.

The KICC Debacle

The breaking point came on Friday night at the KICC. Salah organized a forum ostensibly to "unite" the youth, but attendees were greeted with ODM merchandise emblazoned with images of President Ruto—a visual heresy to the party diehards. The event descended into chaos, with attendees demanding payments and food, exposing the transactional nature of Salah’s mobilization. Chairperson Gladys Wanga’s statement was swift and brutal: "Mr. Salah acts strictly in his personal capacity. He does not speak for ODM, nor does he represent the Odinga family."

This public excommunication is intended to inoculate the party base against confusion. With the party leadership currently under Dr. Oburu Oginga, maintaining a unified front is existential. Salah’s actions were seen not just as rebellion, but as a hostile takeover bid funded by external forces aimed at weakening the opposition from within.

• The "Adopted Son" Myth: Winnie Odinga has categorically stated that Salah has no familial ties to the Odingas and was not present during Raila’s final moments, debunking the foundation of his authority.
• The Ruto Connection: Salah’s push for a "broad-based government" alignment is viewed by party loyalists as a Trojan Horse strategy to dissolve ODM into the UDA machine.
• Grassroots Warning: The party has issued a directive to all county branches to bar Salah from organizing any events using the party’s colors or name.

Legacy Under Fire

The Oketch Salah drama is symptomatic of the vacuum left by a titan. In the absence of Raila Odinga, various actors are scrambling to claim the mantle of leadership. Salah’s swift rise and fall serves as a cautionary tale: in Kenyan politics, legitimacy cannot be bought or faked; it must be inherited or earned in the trenches. The ODM machinery has shown that while it may be grieving, it still has teeth.

For the party faithful, the message is clear: The legacy of Raila Odinga is not for sale to the highest bidder. The "impostor" has been evicted from the house of Baba, but the struggle to secure the keys continues.

“His actions are his own,” Wanga’s statement concluded, effectively casting Salah into the political wilderness. “ODM remains the party of the people, not the puppet of the state.”