In a swift and calculated move to avert a leadership vacuum following the death of party leader Raila Odinga, ODM leaders have appointed his elder brother, Dr Oburu Oginga, as the acting party leader.
The decision, described as temporary and pending further communication, is seen as a strategic step to preserve stability and unity within the party during a period of mourning and transition.
The appointment reflects the party’s urgent need to maintain institutional continuity, and manage internal dynamics sensitively.
Odinga's absence leaves a significant void, especially because he was the de-facto ODM party leader, having been the undisputed figurehead of the Orange party for decades.
Party insiders and observers alike feared that delaying action could trigger factionalism or uncertainty, weakening the movement at a critical moment.
By turning to Dr Odinga — a veteran politician, long-time party stalwart, and a figure who commands respect across the ODM base — the leadership has opted for a familiar and unifying choice.
His name carries both symbolic and practical value, offering the party a semblance of continuity as it prepares for a more structured leadership transition.
Addressing the party members and the media during this delicate time, ODM Deputy Party Leader and Kisii Governor Simba Arati urged members to remain focused and united.
“This is not the time for sideshows or internal fights,” Governor Arati said.
“Let us honour our departed leader by standing together, speaking in one voice, and respecting the decisions made by the party leadership. When the party speaks through its organs, that is the position we must all stand by.”
Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir echoed these sentiments, calling for calm and discipline across all levels of the party.
“We are going through a difficult moment, but this is when unity matters most,” Governor Nassir said.
“Let us not allow grief to divide us. We must walk this journey together... not as individuals, but as one party, and one large family. That is the only way we will protect what [Raila] Odinga built.”
The choice of Dr Oginga as acting chair is not without political calculation.
It reassures loyalists of the Odinga legacy and asserts that the leadership remains rooted in the party’s founding ideals.
However, the temporary nature of the appointment suggests that broader consultations are still ongoing, likely paving the way for a more permanent leadership arrangement once the mourning period ends.
Observers note that the leadership’s rapid response reflects a deeper understanding of the political risks involved.
In the absence of decisive action, various interest groups within ODM could begin positioning themselves for influence, potentially triggering divisions that have historically weakened opposition parties in Kenya.
By putting in place a respected caretaker, the party leadership is seeking to buy time and prevent internal fractures.
Still, the road ahead will not be without challenges.
The transition to a new permanent leadership will need careful handling to avoid alienating key regions and interest blocs within the party’s broad coalition.
The legacy of Odinga casts a long shadow, and any succession will have to strike a delicate balance between loyalty to that legacy and the need for generational renewal.
For now, however, ODM’s message is clear, that the movement remains intact, its leadership is deliberate, and its members are being urged to hold the line.
With calls for unity from figures like Mr Arati and Mr Nassir, and with Dr Oginga providing interim leadership, ODM is positioning itself to emerge from this moment of sorrow not fragmented, but fortified.
It is recalled during Odinga's bid for African Union Commission (AUC) Chairmanship - a continental bid - he stepped down from the role and arrogated Kisumu County Governor Prof Anyang Nyong'o the task.
But when he returned to the country after his AUC bid flopped, Prof Nyong'o silently relinquished the position for him and he was seen assuming again the active role.
Now that has been given to his elder brother -Dr Oginga - who will be the steering command in the party in the meantime until confirmed or another person picked if the members do not ratify his leadership.
