Ruto, Kalonzo, Mudavadi to grace ODM @20 as Raila’s party plans mega celebration

ODM Party leader Raila Odinga with Mining CS Hassam Joho./FILE

President William Ruto, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka are among the dignitaries invited at the Orange Democratic Movement’s (ODM) 20th anniversary celebrations.

The three-day fete, set for October 10–12 in Mombasa, marks what party insiders describe as the rebirth of ODM ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Mombasa also hosted the party’s 10^th anniversary.

“This event will also be bringing together the founding members of this party. We are going to be very pleased that this is going to be a reunion of those who began ODM and still exist,” ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga said.

Organisers say preparations are in top gear, with party founders, members, and supporters all invited to the coastal city—long considered one of ODM’s strongholds.

ODM was born out of the 2005 constitutional referendum, when the “No” campaign—symbolised by the orange—triumphed over proposed constitutional changes with 58.12 per cent of the vote.

The name orange came from the ballot symbol, while the “Yes” side was represented by a banana.

After the referendum victory, then-President Mwai Kibaki dissolved his cabinet, and by 2006 ODM had been formally registered as a political party under Raila Odinga’s leadership.

Among the founders were Raila, Ruto, Kalonzo, Mudavadi, Gitobu Imanyara, Najib Balala, and the late Joe Nyagah.

The party later split in 2007 into two factions: ODM, led by Raila, and ODM–Kenya, led by Kalonzo.

Wanga, who is the Homa Bay governor, said they will use the occasion to remember and honour those who have been in the struggle for the liberation of the country.

These include those in leadership and the young people who have fought battles alongside ODM, heeding calls to take to the streets for protests against injustices and paying the ultimate price.

“We will relieve their memory and remember them,” Wanga said at ODM deputy party leader and Mombasa governor Abdulswamad Nassir’s office.

Asked whether President Ruto will actually be at the event, the ODM leadership was, however, coy.

“All founders will be here. All founders will be invited, and those who accept will be here,” Wanga said.

National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed, a member of the planning team, said the anniversary will serve as both reflection and renewal.

“This occasion reminds us where we came from, where we are, and where we want to go. It is a rebirth of our party and an inspiration as we look to 2027,” he said.

Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir called the celebrations a political and national moment, while ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna lauded Raila’s vision in sustaining the movement for two decades.

“To birth a party and keep it alive for 20 years is no mean feat. As our leader has directed us, hatutaki maneno mingi—this is purely a celebration from start to finish,” said Sifuna.

The anniversary will feature a Youth Summit to discuss the role of young leaders in Kenya’s future, a Women’s Convention highlighting women’s contribution to democracy and inclusivity, and a youth concert celebrating the Orange spirit through music and art.

Sports will also take centre stage, with a four-team football tournament featuring AFC Leopards, Bandari FC, Gor Mahia, and Shabana FC to symbolise unity through sport.

“The celebrations will not just be on the life of the political party but on the life of what Kenya believes in,” the ODM deputy party leader said.

There will be several different events honouring women, youth and persons with disability that will culminate in a grand rally on October 12.

“On the first day, there will be a whole-day event for women at the ASK showground in Mkomani,” Nassir said.

After the football tournament on Friday, there will be a concert at the famous Tononoka ground.

“On Saturday will be the major event, which will be held at Mama Ngina Waterfront Park. That Saturday will be a culmination of other cultural events.

“It will also be in remembrance of our fallen heroes and people who were there prior to us. It will be a day of remembering the journey of the party from those who actually initiated the concept to what is now ODM, those who walked through the journey,” Nassir said.

After the Mama Ngina rally is when the exclusive dinner with the founding members will be held at an exclusive, yet to be disclosed joint.

On Sunday, there will be an interdenominational prayer day at a venue yet to be agreed on.

In the run-up to the Mombasa event, ODM will stage activities across the country, including major highlights in Migori and Wajir, underscoring the party’s emphasis on inclusivity and grassroots mobilisation.

Party leaders affirmed after a planning meeting in Mombasa that the anniversary will not only celebrate ODM’s past but also rally its base for the political battles ahead.

INSTANT ANALYSIS

ODM was formed during the 2005 referendum campaign where it represented the “No” vote, with its symbol being the orange. The movement separated in August 2007 into ODM and ODM-Kenya (now Wiper Democratic Movement - Kenya).

In the referendum, the banana in the ballot cards represented a “Yes” vote. The “No” campaigners won the referendum that was meant to change the constitution then.