By Brian Kiprono - Reporter
Kenya, November 15 2025 - A fresh power struggle is unfolding in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) as Coast leaders loyal to Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho warn that the party risks fracturing if his role in President William Ruto’s broad-based administration is undermined.
During ODM’s 20th anniversary celebrations in Mombasa, Joho’s allies turned the spotlight away from commemorations and toward the simmering succession battle within the party following Raila Odinga’s death. They insisted that any discussion about ODM’s future, including whether to remain in government or reclaim an opposition posture, must acknowledge Joho’s political influence and the mandate they say Raila personally handed him.
Mvita MP Mohamed Soud Machele led the defence, accusing unnamed figures of attempting to push Joho to the periphery as the party repositions itself. “We as Coast region people have our party leader Hassan Joho who is in government,” he said. “He did not place himself there. Baba Raila Odinga took him there, and he continues carrying that responsibility.”
The Coast bloc, long considered Raila Odinga’s most reliable voting base, rallied behind Joho, claiming he has sustained ODM’s dominance in the region for two decades. Likoni MP Mishi Mboko and Mombasa Woman Representative Zamzam Mohamed warned that any attempt to cut him out of current negotiations would be rejected.
“Joho must be respected,” Zamzam said. “We will stand with whoever respects him and part ways with whoever disrespects him.” Joho, speaking after his allies, issued his own stern caution: “If you pursue me, I will pursue you. I did not sacrifice for this party in vain.”
Battlelines Form as ODM Faces Internal Realignment
The Coast declaration comes at a time when ODM is confronting widening rifts over how to interpret Raila’s final political instructions. Senior leaders serving in the broad-based government, including Joho, Wycliffe Oparanya, John Mbadi and Opiyo Wandayi, argue Raila deliberately positioned the party inside the government and expected them to stay there.
“I was taken to the government of William Ruto by Raila Odinga. That is where I shall stay,” Joho said during Raila’s burial, a statement he has repeated in recent days. But a rival faction led by Winnie Odinga, James Orengo and Edwin Sifuna is pushing for a National Delegates Convention to let party members determine ODM’s direction independently of State House.
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Winnie Odinga has questioned the capability of those “self-appointing” themselves to manage the complex political relationship Raila left behind. “That relationship is complicated,” she said. “The people of ODM must decide who is best placed to handle it.”
Coast Demands Bigger Say as 2027 Politics Loom
With the Magarini by-election approaching and the 2027 realignments already underway, Coast leaders are positioning Joho as the region’s undisputed political anchor, and the person they expect to guide ODM through its turbulent transition.
Kisauni MP Bedzimba Juma emphasised that ODM’s loyalty at the Coast runs deep:“For over 20 years the Coast region has never abandoned Raila. Joho helped sustain that unity. He deserves respect.”
As the party marks two decades of existence, the battle for its direction, government collaboration or renewed opposition, is rapidly turning into a contest of legitimacy, regional influence and the late Raila Odinga’s political legacy.
Whether ODM can navigate this internal storm without breaking remains the unanswered question.
