Peter Imwatok, Nairobi County Assembly Majority Leader, has criticized ODM party leaders for playing succession games.
He said their moves go against what the late ODM leader Raila Odinga stood for.
Imwatok called this push for power too soon and driven by self-interest, not party needs.
He urged ODM members to hold useful talks to plan their path ahead.
If we truly cared for Baba Raila Odinga with real belief, not just words, we should have given him respect in death, Imwatok said.
We could have set our own party mourning time, like three months. This would let the party, nation, and us grieve, think, and honor his big sacrifices before this needless loud fight.
He asked members to talk constructively about ODM’s future. Do it without public fights that split the party.
Imwatok noted Raila’s loyalty to ODM came from deep belief, not ease. The party started on ideas, hard work, rules, openness, and respect for systems, not personal gain or quick chances.
Raila Odinga led ODM by true commitment, not convenience. He built it on ideology, sacrifice, discipline, inclusivity, and respect for institutions, not on personal ambition or political opportunism, he added.
ODM formed in 2005 and registered as a party in 2006. It stays one of Kenya’s top political forces. The late Raila ran as its presidential candidate many times. People saw him as its main idea leader.
But tensions have grown in top ranks lately. This came months after Raila’s death on October 15, 2025. That sad event hit the party and country hard. It ended an era for one of Kenya’s most inconsequential political figures.
Bitter words fly between ODM leaders. One side follows Secretary General Edwin Sifuna. The other follows party leader Oburu Odinga.
Imwatok said the quick grab for spots after Raila’s death shows selfish goals. It ignores ODM’s core values.
Public quarrels, open power fights, and rash moves show a hard fact. For some, being near Baba was about what they could get, not his beliefs, Imwatok said.
He told leaders to honor party rules, cool down the heat, and guard Raila Odinga’s legacy. He warned that more fights could hurt the party before key elections and break supporter trust.
