Orange Democratic Movement is facing serious internal divisions after a planned unity meeting failed to take place, according to Deputy Party Leader and Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi. He says the missed meeting showed that efforts to heal the party have stalled and that key leaders are not fully committed to resolving their differences.
Osotsi explains that the reconciliation talks were scheduled ahead of the Central Management Committee meeting held in Kilifi earlier this month. The aim was to address tensions that have continued within the party since the death of its founding leader Raila Odinga.
He believes the discussions were important in rebuilding trust and setting a common direction before leaders appeared in public forums.
The senator directly blames party leader Oburu Oginga and National Assembly Minority Whip Junet Mohamed for skipping the meeting. According to him, the two leaders were expected to attend because the talks were organized specifically to help them iron out their differences. Osotsi says the initiative was encouraged by Mama Ida Odinga as part of a broader effort to restore unity and calm within the party.
He notes that only Secretary General Edwin Sifuna showed up for the planned talks. Later, Oburu and Junet attended the Kilifi CMC meeting and issued public statements without first addressing the internal disagreements. Osotsi argues that this approach weakened trust among party members and made collective decision making difficult. In his view, unresolved personal and political differences should not be pushed aside in favor of public appearances.
Screen grab photo courtesy of People Daily.
Osotsi has also raised concerns about how some party activities are being handled, especially in Western Kenya. He points to the Linda Ground campaigns, saying several meetings and rallies were organized in a rush and without proper consultation of all party organs. He believes this has left some leaders and members feeling sidelined and ignored.
According to Osotsi, ODM risks losing focus and internal cohesion if consultations are ignored and unity efforts are treated lightly. He is calling for honest dialogue, respect for party structures, and genuine commitment from all leaders.
He says only through open engagement and shared responsibility can the party move forward as one and maintain confidence among its supporters.