The death of Raila Amollo Odinga has opened the most serious leadership and ideological crisis in the history of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), a party that for more than a decade was under with his political leadership. What began as a succession question has now developed into an open struggle over the party’s identity, direction and future ahead of the 2027 General Election. At the centre of the dispute are two competing camps: Linda Ground, associated with party leader Oburu Odinga and National ODM Chairperson Gladys Wanga and Linda Mwananchi, associated with Siaya Governor James Orengo, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and other leaders opposed to the direction taken by the current party leadership.
\nThe battle is no longer simply about who occupies the party’s top office. It is increasingly about whether ODM should continue cooperating with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) under the broad-based government arrangement or return to a more confrontational opposition role. Following Raila Odinga’s death, Oburu Odinga assumed the role of acting party leader. His leadership was subsequently ratified at ODM’s Special Delegates Conference held at Jamhuri Grounds in Nairobi on March 27, 2026.<\/p>\n
The conference formally endorsed Oburu as party leader. However, the decision did not end the succession debate. Instead, it deepened divisions within the party, with the Linda Mwananchi faction questioning the legitimacy of the process and arguing that the party’s future should be determined through broader consultation with its members.
\nThe disagreement has placed Oburu and Wanga at the centre of a political battle over the future of ODM. Wanga has strongly defended the current direction of the party and criticised leaders associated with Linda Mwananchi, arguing that their position could return ODM to the opposition. One of the biggest sources of disagreement is ODM’s cooperation with the Kenya Kwanza administration.Before his death, Raila Odinga had supported cooperation between ODM and the government under the broad-based arrangement. Several senior ODM figures took government positions, including Opiyo Wandayi, Hassan Joho and Wycliffe Oparanya.<\/p>\n
For supporters of the arrangement, participation in government provides ODM with an opportunity to influence policy and deliver services to Kenyans from within government. But critics within the party see the arrangement differently, they argue that ODM risks losing its identity as an opposition movement by becoming too closely associated with the government. They also fear that the party could enter the 2027 election without a clear presidential candidate or a distinct political agenda.
\nThe Emergence of Linda Mwananchi
\nOut of the internal disagreements has emerged Linda Mwananchi, a movement presenting itself as a voice for ordinary ODM members and Kenyans who believe the party should remain independent and accountable to its grassroots supporters. The movement has brought together senior politicians, including Orengo, Hamisi, Sifuna and Babu Owino alongside other leaders who have challenged the current direction of ODM. Its message is simple but politically significant: the party should belong to its members and supporters rather than to a small group of leaders.<\/p>\n
The movement has taken its campaign to the grassroots, holding rallies in different parts of the country. Its mobilisation has included stops in Busia, Kitengela, Kakamega, Narok and Mombasa, with the campaign portraying itself as a nationwide movement rather than a dispute confined to Nyanza.
\nKakamega being the head quarter of western region became one of the important testing grounds for the two factions. The Linda Mwananchi leaders faced threats and attempts to disrupt their mobilisation, but the campaign continued and drew significant attention. For the faction’s supporters, the reception in Kakamega demonstrated that the dispute within ODM could not simply be dismissed as a disagreement among senior politicians. It suggested that there was growing interest among grassroots supporters in the direction the party would take after Raila.<\/p>\n
The battle for the grassroots is particularly important because Raila’s political strength was not based only on his position within ODM. His influence was built over decades through a strong connection with supporters across Nyanza, Western Kenya, Nairobi, the Coast and other parts of the country.
\nEdwin Sifuna has emerged as one of the most vocal figures in the resistance to the current ODM leadership. His opposition to the direction of the party has put him at odds with Oburu and Wanga. Wanga has publicly urged ODM supporters to reject the Linda Mwananchi camp, accusing it of seeking to take the party back into opposition. The disagreement demonstrated that the crisis had moved beyond political rhetoric and into the institutional structures of the party. It exposed a deeper question: can ODM’s party organs resolve the dispute internally, or will rival political centres continue to operate outside the formal structures?<\/p>\n
The most dramatic moment came in April 2026 when James Orengo declared himself acting party leader during a Linda Mwananchi rally in Nakuru. Orengo argued that ODM required new leadership and accused the current leadership of failing to provide a clear political direction. His declaration further widened the gap between the two camps. The declaration was significant because Orengo is not a political newcomer. He is one of the veteran figures associated with Kenya’s opposition politics and has been part of ODM’s political journey for years. His decision to openly challenge Oburu demonstrated how far the internal disagreement had progressed.
\nLinda Ground seeks to consolidate the party under Oburu Odinga and defend the broad-based government arrangement. Gladys Wanga has become one of its most prominent defenders. Linda Mwananchi, meanwhile, is demanding a stronger grassroots voice, greater independence from UDA and a clearer opposition identity.
\nIt is a contest between two political strategies: cooperation with government on one side and political independence on the other.<\/p>\n
Can ODM Survive Without Raila?<\/p>\n
For years, Raila Odinga was the central figure around whom ODM’s political strategy revolved. His ability to mobilise supporters, negotiate political alliances and maintain a broad coalition gave the party a national profile that few opposition parties in Kenya have managed to sustain. Oburu Odinga now faces the difficult task of maintaining the party while simultaneously dealing with leaders who do not recognise his leadership or his political direction. The challenge is made harder by the fact that ODM cannot afford to spend the period before the 2027 General Election fighting itself. Every month spent on internal battles is potentially a month lost in building structures, recruiting candidates and defining a national message.
\nODM must decide whether to remain part of a broad-based arrangement with UDA, negotiate a new political coalition or present itself as an independent opposition force. The party must also determine whether it will field its own presidential candidate. These decisions could determine whether ODM remains one of Kenya’s major political parties or becomes a shell of the movement built under Raila Odinga.<\/p>\n
The party can either find a negotiated settlement between its competing factions or continue along the path of fragmentation. Oburu Odinga and Gladys Wanga have the advantage of the formal party machinery and the recognition of the March 2026 Special Delegates Conference. Linda Mwananchi, however, has demonstrated an ability to mobilise prominent leaders and take its message directly to the grassroots.
\nThe rise of Linda Mwananchi may eventually prove to be either the beginning of ODM’s renewal or the clearest sign of its decline. For now, the question confronting ODM supporters is not simply who will lead the party. It is whether ODM can survive the leadership vacuum left by Raila Odinga\u2014and whether the party can enter the 2027 election as one movement rather than several competing political camps.
\nThe future of ODM may ultimately be decided not at the top of the party, but on the ground among the wananchi.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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