ODM leader Oburu Oginga has emphasized that the Deputy President position remains a central political goal for the party as it gears up for the 2027 General Election, clarifying earlier comments that he says were widely misunderstood.
Speaking on Wednesday, February 11, Oburu said there should be no doubt that ODM has set its sights on the office, stressing that the party’s interest is about public service, not personal rivalries.
"There was something that people misinterpreted. They claimed that I said that ODM does not want the DP seat, but that's the position we have our eyes on. What I said is that we do not have a personal grudge or issue with Kindiki, but that seat is a public position," he explained.
Oburu also criticized former President Uhuru Kenyatta, accusing him of marginalizing ODM despite their political collaboration after the handshake.
"I would like Uhuru, who was the President. He was with my brother after the handshake yet he did not even give us one cabinet seat and he lied to us that he would deliver the presidency.
"He lied to Raila that he would make him the president, yet the election was stolen right under his nose, and he did nothing. Now we are asking him to let us do what we want to as ODM and that he stops interfering with ODM," he said.
The remarks follow a clash with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, triggered by comments he made in a previous Citizen TV interview, which Oburu said misrepresented the party and its processes.
In a statement on Friday, February 6, Oburu accused Sifuna of misleading ODM supporters and influencing public debate in ways that harm the party. He pointed out that Sifuna himself benefited from the very party mechanisms he was questioning.
"When Sen. Sifuna questioned the legality of some national officials on the basis that they were elected by the National Governing Council, he overlooked a fundamental fact: he himself was elected Secretary General by the same organ in February 2018 and discharged the functions of that office fully and effectively until February 2022, when the National Delegates Convention subsequently endorsed him. One cannot selectively invalidate the very processes that conferred legitimacy upon oneself," Oburu said.
He went on to fault Sifuna for mixing personal opinions with party policy, creating confusion among members and supporters.
''ODM has, since its inception, demonstrated fidelity to its Constitution and to the rule of law. The same principle has put every individual in their rightful position, including that of Sen. Sifuna. We want to state categorically that all Party officials are serving substantially and supported by the Party organ resolutions," Oburu said.
Oburu further criticized Sifuna for issuing contradictory statements regarding potential coalition talks with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance, warning that internal confusion could weaken the party’s standing.
As ODM positions itself for the next elections, these statements underline the party’s focus on securing strategic offices while maintaining internal cohesion, even amid public disagreements among its top leaders.
