NAIROBI, Kenya – Political figure Oketch Salah has urged Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) members to preserve the party’s national identity, warning that portraying it as belonging to one community could alienate supporters who helped build its political influence across Kenya.
In an 11-part statement posted on X, Salah argued that the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga built ODM into a national political movement with branches and loyal supporters beyond the Luo community.
He said treating the party as the preserve of one community would undermine Raila’s legacy and marginalise supporters from other parts of the country who had invested in the movement.
“Baba was Luo and he built ODM into a NATIONAL party with branches and diehard supporters across Kenya,” Salah wrote, calling on members to recognise the contributions of supporters from different communities.
His remarks come amid an ongoing debate within ODM over its political relationship with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the terms of a possible electoral partnership ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Salah calls for unity before UDA negotiations
Salah warned that internal divisions could weaken ODM’s position at the negotiating table, arguing that the party needed to remain united as it discusses cooperation with UDA.
He said every member, regardless of community, deserved a voice in decisions affecting the party’s future.
“ODM is our collective strength as we negotiate with UDA. A house divided cannot negotiate strongly,” he said.
The businessman also called for clear negotiating structures, with each party’s responsibilities and representation agreed upon before any political arrangement is finalised.
He argued that proposals for an equal share of responsibility and representation in a government the two parties intend to form deserved serious consideration.
His position reflects a broader debate within ODM over how the party should negotiate its role in a potential post-2027 government, including representation in senior government positions and protection of its electoral strongholds.
Questions over what ODM supporters stand to gain
Salah also challenged what he described as an unwillingness by some party members to question the terms of cooperation with the President.
He argued that supporting Ruto should not prevent ODM members from asking what their supporters would gain from the partnership and how the proposed arrangement would shape the next government.
“Supporting the President must allow us to ask how we shall work together, what our supporters will receive and how we intend to form the next government,” he said.
Salah further claimed that some leaders who oppose the President had benefited from government positions and business dealings, although he did not provide specific evidence in the post to substantiate those assertions.
He maintained that ODM had played a significant role in supporting the current administration and welcomed Ruto’s acknowledgment of Raila’s contribution during an appearance in Kondele, Kisumu.
According to Salah, that goodwill should create room for candid negotiations based on mutual respect rather than discourage questions about the proposed partnership.
Raila’s legacy and ODM’s national reach
Salah invoked his conversations with Raila to argue that the former ODM leader was concerned about the party’s supporters across the country, rather than its standing in one region alone.
He cited areas stretching from Mandera to Isebania and Lamu to Turkana, saying the party’s electoral cooperation with UDA should take account of its support bases throughout Kenya.
He also called for transparent negotiations, clear mandates and respect for both parties as they consider their political options ahead of the 2027 elections.
Salah’s comments come as ODM navigates its political direction following Raila’s death and debates how to protect its identity and grassroots support while engaging with Ruto’s administration. Recent reporting has documented disagreements over the terms of a possible ODM-UDA arrangement, including demands for a written framework and discussions around power-sharing.
In his closing appeal, Salah urged ODM members to stand together and defend the national character of the movement, saying the responsibility for preserving Raila’s political legacy now rests with those who remain in the party.
“Let us stand together, speak firmly and negotiate with purpose,” he said, ending with the Swahili slogans related with the President’s UDA faction “Usawa ni sawa” and “Mbele pamoja.”
