Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai has urged ODM leaders to reconnect with grassroots party structures across the country before deepening engagements with the United Democratic Alliance, saying supporters still need reassurance and political direction following the death of Raila Odinga.
Speaking on Radio Generation on Monday, Alai said many party members felt abandoned after the loss of the longtime ODM leader Raila Odinga, who he described as the political force that held together diverse communities and interests within the party.
“I think what is going to happen, and a lot of challenges here, is that Baba died, and this is an association of two major parties, ODM and UDA,” Alai said. “The vision bearer of ODM died, the vision bearer of UDA is alive, so there’s a bit of rough storms in ODM.”
He said ODM was still struggling to adjust to the absence of Raila Odinga, arguing that the former Prime Minister had played a central role in calming political tensions and ensuring representation for different ethnic communities, especially in Nairobi politics.
“Baba used to ensure that every ethnic community, especially Nairobi, was represented,” he said. “There are small marginalized communities, especially from the pastoralist communities, that may not get a fair chance without that balancing role.”
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Alai also claimed ODM supporters had not fully found closure following Raila’s burial, saying the mourning period was too brief for many supporters across the country to participate adequately.
“Baba never had closure because the way he was buried was not the way people are used to burying their hero,” he said. “It was almost impossible for supporters from across the country to participate fully within 72 hours.”
The MCA urged the current ODM leadership to prioritize rebuilding trust within party structures before focusing on cooperation with UDA under the broad-based government arrangement.
“What we need to do as ODM is go around the country,” he said. “Those people use the party structures, and they need somebody to hold their hands, engage them, and assure them that life is going to be better.”
“ODM needs to engage party structures first before engaging UDA in detail until people properly get closure over Baba,” he added.
Alai’s remarks come at a time when ODM leaders have been defending the party’s cooperation with President William Ruto’s administration amid criticism from a section of supporters who believe the party has abandoned opposition politics.
Speaking during an Economic Empowerment rally in Dandora on Sunday, ODM chairperson Gladys Wanga insisted the party remained committed to fighting for ordinary Kenyans despite joining the broad-based government.
“We have heard people saying ODM joined the broad-based government and forgot the issues affecting ordinary wananchi,” Wanga said. “As the Orange party under the leadership of Raila Amolo Odinga, we have always fought for the interests of the people.”
She defended ODM’s engagement with the government, saying the party was pushing for solutions from within, including intervention on rising fuel prices.
“Fuel is a global issue, but because we are pushing from within, we have seen the President announce that by next month, diesel prices will reduce by Sh10,” Wanga said.
The ODM chairperson also maintained that the party remained united ahead of the 2027 elections.
“The Orange party remains one united party and we will move across every corner of Kenya to strengthen it because when 2027 comes, ODM will either form the government or be part of the coalition forming government,” she said.