The Orange Democratic Movement is focused on consolidating unity ahead of future political negotiations and has no intention to expel any of its members, Party leader Oburu Odinga has said.
Oburu said ODM’s strength lies in its internal cohesion and its standing as the largest political party in the country.
Speaking on Wednesday at Kamukunji Grounds in Kibera, he emphasised that the party must engage prospective coalition partners from a position of strength rather than weakness.
Oburu noted that ODM would leverage its size, nationwide structures and history to forge a formidable front as was the case during the reign of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
“As ODM, we must prepare ourselves, and that can only be achieved when we are together. We have no desire to chase anyone from ODM. If anyone wants to leave, they should do so willingly,” Oburu said.
“As long as we have unity, we shall negotiate with other parties from a point of strength and not weakness. We are the biggest party in the country, and we cannot approach the negotiating table when we are weak.”
Oburu said ODM welcomes internal debate but will move to safeguard organisational unity as part of its broader political strategy.
He reiterated that the party remains firmly behind the broad-based government arrangement, which he said will remain in force until 2027.
He also told party members that ODM would soon begin engaging other political parties, starting with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), with which it is currently working under the broad-based arrangement.
Oburu said he plans to embark on countrywide tours to meet party officials and delegates to discuss ways of strengthening the party and to gather their views on key issues.
He added that ODM remains strong and expressed confidence that it will head into the 2027 General Election as a united front.
His remarks come amid ongoing questions over internal cohesion, discipline and the party’s political future.
The party has in recent months experienced simmering tensions, with rival factions trading accusations over leadership style, loyalty and ODM’s direction following recent political realignments sparked by Raila’s death.
On Monday, ODM announced that it would immediately begin structured preparations aimed at forming the next government in 2027.
In a statement issued after a meeting of its central committee, the party said that with the General Election scheduled for next year, it could not afford to delay its preparations.
“The committee directed that structured work commence immediately towards positioning ODM not only to contest next year’s General Election, but to form the next government, including policy development, organisational readiness, coalition building and candidate preparedness,” the party said.
The ODM Central Committee met in Kilifi county on January 12, 2026, to review the party’s political, organisational and strategic position.
During the meeting, the committee resolved to initiate structured negotiations with other political formations as part of its coalition-building efforts.
“The committee meeting expressed the intention to initiate structured negotiations with different political formations, beginning with the United Democratic Alliance,” the statement said.
“To this end, we have mandated the Party Leader to commence this process. Concurrently, consultations with party members will proceed, culminating in the National Delegates Convention,” it added.