ODM Pressured to Seal Broad-Based Deal Ahead of Kisumu Rally

By Kepher Otieno - Reporter

Kenya, May 28 , 2026 - A decisive political message has now emerged from Nyanza after ODM leaders were urged to either pursue a structured engagement with the Broad-Based Government or formally disengage if consensus on the terms of cooperation fails.

The directive was issued by elders from the Luo Council led by Mzee Ker Odungi Randa, who warned ODM leaders against pulling in parallel directions at a politically sensitive moment for the party and the region.

Addressing the press in Kisumu after a high-level consultative meeting, the elders insisted that the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), must now settle on a clear political path and avoid what they termed as mixed signals capable of confusing supporters across the country.

“We must stop pulling in different directions. Leaders must unite for the common cause of our people,” said Ker Randa.

The elders vowed to spearhead a renewed campaign for Luo unity, arguing that internal cohesion would strengthen ODM’s bargaining power within the evolving national political order and shield the region from political fragmentation ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Their declaration now places ODM at the centre of an increasingly delicate national political balancing act, where the party is attempting to maintain its identity as a formidable opposition movement while simultaneously navigating cooperation with President William Ruto’s administration under the broad-based political arrangement.

Elder Jotham Ajiki said the statement by the elders reflects growing pressure within sections of Nyanza leadership for ODM to formally define the nature, limits and objectives of its engagement with the Kenya Kwanza administration.

The Kisumu ODM meeting was chaired by Migori Governor Dr Ochilo Ayacko, who also heads the organizing committee for the highly anticipated ODM mega rally scheduled for Sunday at Kirembe Grounds in Kisumu.

ODM national chairperson Gladys Wanga and Kisumu Central MP Joshua Oron, Langata MP Felix Jalango and a host of MCAs were also present during the meeting that now appears to have set the political tone ahead of the rally expected to draw thousands of supporters from across the Nyanza region.

Leaders present maintained that despite shifting political alignments and growing national speculation over ODM’s future direction, the party would remain united and focused on consolidating its grassroots support base.

“Nothing will pull us apart. We are committed to party unity,” the leaders led by Dr Ayacko declared in a show of solidarity meant to calm fears of internal divisions within the orange party. Oron and Jalango supported Wanga and Ayacko and ODM defacto Party leader Dr Oburu Odinga.

Their remarks come at a time when ODM is facing increasing internal debate over whether cooperation with President Ruto should remain informal and strategic or evolve into a fully structured political partnership with defined terms of engagement.

Some party insiders believe the broad-based arrangement has already altered Kenya’s political landscape by softening traditional boundaries between government and opposition, forcing ODM to rethink its long-term political posture.

Governor Ayacko defended the party’s ongoing consultations and grassroots mobilization efforts, saying ODM’s democratic character demands constant engagement with ordinary wananchi rather than elite boardroom politics alone.

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“ODM was founded on democratic values and it must continue being built on those principles. Elections are not events. They are processes that must be preceded by mobilization of grassroots networks,” Dr Ayacko said.

His remarks signaled ODM’s determination to rebuild, reorganize and strengthen its political machinery at the grassroots even as sections of the opposition remain uneasy about closer engagement with the Kenya Kwanza administration.

Ayacko further indicated that the party’s focus was now shifting towards reconnecting with supporters on development issues, governance and economic empowerment rather than relying solely on confrontational opposition politics.

Governor Wanga who is also the ODM dejure chair reiterated the need for ODM leaders to remain united during what she described as a critical political transition period for both the party and the country.

Insiders within the party say Sunday’s Kirembe rally is expected to serve multiple political purposes — reaffirming ODM’s strength in its traditional strongholds, testing the popularity of the broad-based arrangement at the grassroots and sending a message that the party remains organized despite changing political realities.

Mobilization efforts have already intensified across Kisumu, Siaya, Migori, Homa Bay and Kisii, with supporters expected to converge at Kirembe Grounds in what organizers hope will become one of the largest ODM political gatherings in recent months.

Behind the scenes, strategists are keen to project ODM as a mature national movement capable of influencing governance from both inside and outside formal power structures.

Dr Ayacko intensified mobilization ahead of the highly anticipated ODM rally at Kirembe Grounds, urging Nyanza residents to turn up in massive numbers on Sunday in what he described as a crucial moment to defend and protect the country’s democratic space.

The Migori governor said the gathering would not merely be a political rally but a public demonstration of the people’s commitment to constitutionalism, political parti

Ayacko said ODM’s strength has always been anchored in the voice of ordinary wananchi and warned against political apathy, insisting that democracy can only survive when citizens remain actively engaged in shaping the country’s direction.

Some analysts now argue that the endorsement by the Luo Council of Elders could help neutralize resistance from hardline opposition supporters who remain skeptical about any form of cooperation with President Ruto.

At the same time, the elders’ warning that ODM should reconsider the arrangement if formal agreements fail introduces a new layer of political caution, suggesting that the region’s leadership does not want unconditional political cooperation without clearly defined benefits and mutual respect.

For now, ODM leaders must either formalize and harmonize their engagement within the Broad-Based Government framework or prepare for a fresh round of political negotiations if the current arrangement loses formal direction.