Divisive ODM politics play out during Raila’s final bow
The late opposition leader Raila Amolo Odinga was today laid to rest at his rural home in Bondo, Siaya County, in a state funeral that drew thousands of mourners and high-profile dignitaries from Kenya and abroad.
President William Ruto led the nation in paying tribute to the former Prime Minister, hailing him as a patriot who dedicated his life to democracy, justice, and national unity. Raila was posthumously honoured with the country’s highest civilian award, the Chief of the Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya (CGH).
The ceremony was attended by several African Heads of State, former presidents, foreign envoys, and local leaders, underscoring Raila’s towering influence across the region. His burial was marked by solemn prayers, cultural rites, and emotional tributes from family, allies, and political rivals alike.
However, beneath the solemn atmosphere, divisions within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party came to the fore. Competing factions used the occasion to stake claims over the party’s future, exposing internal rifts on succession and leadership direction following Raila’s death.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna who is also the ODM Secretary General used the platform to caution against divisive narratives within ODM, urging unity and fidelity to Raila’s final instructions.
“I will not be among those who bring down Raila Amolo Odinga’s party,” he declared passionately. “ODM is one of Baba’s greatest legacies, and I will do everything in my power to keep it united even in the face of open provocation,” he said.
He was responding to Homa Bay governor Gladys Wanga , National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Badi and other ODM party honchos who pleged to support Ruto’s 2027 presidential bid although Raila had last month indicated that the party should prepare for 2027 polls.
While some ODM leaders called for unity to honour Raila’s legacy, others demanded reforms and generational change within the party. The contrasting tones highlighted the growing uncertainty over who will inherit the mantle of leadership in Kenya’s opposition politics.
Thousands of supporters thronged Bondo to witness the historic farewell, waving ODM flags and singing liberation songs that defined Raila’s decades-long political journey.
Raila’s burial closed a monumental chapter in Kenya’s political history, a final rest for a man whose struggle for reform reshaped the nation, yet whose departure leaves his party and the country at a defining crossroads.
