The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has strongly defended its leader, Raila Odinga, against accusations from within the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition, asserting that his commitment to holding the government accountable remains steadfast. This rebuttal comes amidst growing tensions within the coalition over the recent decision by several former ODM officials to join President William Ruto’s administration.
In a press statement delivered on Monday, ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga criticized coalition partners who have questioned the party’s loyalty to its role in the opposition, particularly targeting remarks that sought to undermine Odinga’s leadership. “Someone in Azimio is trying to question Raila Odinga’s commitment to holding the government to account,” Wanga stated, emphasizing that such doubts were unwarranted and unfounded.
The crux of the controversy stems from the recent defection of four prominent ODM members—former Deputy Party Leaders Ali Hassan Joho and Wycliffe Oparanya, former National Chairman John Mbadi, and former Secretary for Political Affairs James Opiyo Wandayi—who have joined the Kenya Kwanza government. Wanga was quick to clarify that these individuals joined the administration in their personal capacities and not as representatives of ODM. “The Party Leader has explained, and we reiterate, that the members have not joined the government as representatives of the party but as individuals whom the president felt have the capacity to add value to his administration and help the country achieve desired goals,” she said.
This distinction is crucial, according to ODM, as it maintains that there is no alliance between ODM and the Kenya Kwanza government, despite the involvement of its former members in the administration. Wanga underscored the party’s role in responding to the national emergency, explaining that the decision to release these members was made in the interest of stabilizing the nation during a critical period. “No sane leader or political party should celebrate the collapse of the nation,” Wanga noted, emphasizing that the party remains committed to its opposition role.
However, the ODM Chairperson did not hold back in her criticism of certain Azimio partners, whom she accused of acting in bad faith by exploiting the situation to wrestle parliamentary leadership from ODM. She accused these partners of hiding behind the defections to question Odinga’s leadership and commitment to opposition duties. “On the matter at hand—the questioning of ODM and Rt. Hon Raila Odinga’s commitment to opposition—our partners are not acting in good faith. They are hiding behind the three gentlemen and one lady who joined government and using it to try and wrestle the leadership of the houses of Parliament from ODM,” she asserted.
Wanga also pointed out that despite these defections, ODM continues to command the largest bloc of MPs who are committed to the ideals and principles of the Azimio coalition. This, she argued, is what should determine parliamentary leadership, not the actions of a few individuals. “House leadership is about numbers in the house, not those in government,” she said.
The statement also highlighted the sacrifices made by ODM members in the past, noting that the party has borne the highest brunt in terms of casualties from opposition activities. “Thus far, ODM has borne the highest brunt in terms of casualties; people killed, maimed or wounded while expressing opposition to Kenya Kwanza policies,” Wanga stated, underscoring the party’s long history of protests and opposition.
In addition to defending Odinga’s leadership, ODM used the press conference to voice strong support for his candidacy for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship. Wanga expressed the party’s pride in Odinga’s leadership and gratitude to both the Kenyan government and African leaders who have shown support for his bid. “Raila has earned his candidacy for AUC chairmanship. We are proud that he is a leader of our party ODM and our coalition, Azimio,” she said, adding that ODM would be honored to see him serve the continent in this capacity.
In closing, Wanga issued a stern warning against any attempts to use Odinga as a political tool within the coalition or to question his loyalty to Azimio’s cause. She made it clear that ODM would not tolerate any efforts to undermine Odinga’s leadership or use his AUC bid as leverage in intra-coalition disputes. “We will not accept any continued attempts to use Raila Odinga as a human shield… or any continued attempt to use him as an excuse for the failure of leadership in individual constituent parties of Azimio,” she concluded.
