Leaders of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) have accused former President Uhuru Kenyatta of meddling in the party’s internal affairs, deepening the rift following the removal of Edwin Sifuna as Secretary General.
The latest political storm comes amid ongoing restructuring within ODM after the death of longtime party leader Raila Odinga in October last year.
Junet Mohamed and Gladys Wanga Point Finger at Kenyatta
Speaking during the ODM Linda Ground event in Lamu on Thursday, National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed and Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga accused Kenyatta of fueling unrest within the party.
Junet dismissed claims that ODM’s challenges stem from its stance on the broad-based government or its relationship with President William Ruto.
“The problem we have in our party is not the broad-based government or William Ruto; the problem we have is former President Uhuru Kenyatta. The one destroying the party is not Ruto or the broad-based arrangement but Uhuru,” Junet said.
He urged the former Head of State to focus on his own political outfit, the Jubilee Party, and refrain from interfering in ODM matters.
“Please, leave our party alone. You have Jubilee, you have refused to retire, you have remained party leader, you have your project called Fred Matiang’i, so please focus on your work and let us run ODM affairs,” he added.
2022 Election Fallout and 2027 Political Realignments
Junet further claimed that ODM sought Kenyatta’s support during the 2022 General Election in a bid to secure victory for Raila but did not succeed.
“We asked him to help us win in 2022 so that Raila becomes president but he failed to make Baba president, so he should now give us peace,” he said.
He also alleged that despite Kenyatta appearing to have retired from frontline politics, he continues to influence opposition leaders behind the scenes.
“He pretends to have retired, but on the ground, he is sending people. All these opposition leaders — he is their leader. He wants us to unite and remove Ruto from office, but we cannot take that route. We cannot unite with someone who has retired.”
Growing Tensions Within ODM
The accusations highlight growing tensions within ODM as the party navigates leadership changes and prepares for the 2027 General Election. Political analysts say the fallout could significantly shape opposition realignments in the coming months.
As of now, Uhuru Kenyatta has not publicly responded to the allegations.
