In a clear display of strength, ODM Party Leader Dr. Oburu Oginga today hosted a high-profile Luo Community Dialogue and consultative delegates meeting at the upscale Ciala Resort in Kisumu, drawing top Nyanza political heavyweights. The closed-door session, focused on party direction and regional unity, was followed by enthusiastic grassroots mobilization in the city, including a vibrant procession through the iconic Kondele area – ODM’s unbreakable stronghold known as “Kondele Barracks.”
Eyewitnesses described thousands of supporters thronging Kisumu streets, with loudspeakers blasting archival speeches of the late Raila Amollo Odinga and crowds erupting in traditional Isukuti drums and the defiant chant: “Leo ni Leo, asemaye kesho ni muongo” (“Today is today, tomorrow’s promise is a lie”). The nostalgic outpouring underscored enduring loyalty to the Odinga family legacy, three months after Raila’s passing.
This powerhouse gathering comes amid deepening antagonistic camps within ODM: tensions over the party’s broad-based government deal with President William Ruto’s UDA, leadership succession battles, and public spats involving figures like Winnie Odinga and young turks such as Babu Owino and Edwin Sifuna. Recent reports of parallel rallies and calls for a national delegates conference highlight fractures, with critics accusing the current leadership of drifting from Raila’s opposition roots.
Yet today’s event portends a decisive tilt toward consolidation around Oburu. The presence of key governors, MPs, and regional leaders signals broad Nyanza backing for his stewardship, potentially isolating dissenters and bolstering ODM’s bargaining power ahead of 2027 elections. Analysts interpret it as a strategic masterstroke: reinforcing grassroots fire while projecting unity among elites, warning rival factions that attempts to challenge the Oginga-led hierarchy risk marginalization in the party’s lakeside heartland.
“This is Oburu drawing a line in the sand,” said one political observer. “With Nyanza’s big guns assembled and the streets alive with Raila’s echo, it dampens talk of splits and reminds everyone where ODM’s real power lies.”
As ODM navigates coalition debates and internal reforms, events like today’s reinforce the party’s mobilizational muscle – and the steep cost of disunity.
Reports and eyewitness accounts confirm a strong turnout of ODM and Nyanza luminaries (attendance list to be updated in subsequent reports) at the consultative session, including:
– Dr. Oburu Oginga – ODM Party Leader and Siaya Senator (host and chief convener)
– Hon.Otiende Amollo – Rarieda MP and prominent ODM figure
– Gladys Wanga – Homa Bay Governor and ODM National Chairperson
– Prof. Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o – Kisumu Governor
– Dr. William Oduol – Siaya Deputy Governor
– Hon. Samuel Atandi – Alego Usonga MP
– Several other Nyanza MPs, senators, county officials, women and youth leaders, Luo professionals, and grassroots delegates
The event also featured broad participation from party structures across the region, with additional local MCAs and coordinators mobilizing the post-meeting street procession.
