Kasmuel: ODM is now firmly under the leadership of Senator Oburu Odinga

Odm member Kasmuel Mcoure speaking at Opoda farm on October 18, 2025/SCREENGRAB

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) member and political activist Kasmuel McOure has called on the party to rally behind Senator Oburu Odinga as its next leader following the death of Raila Odinga.

Speaking at Opoda Farm in Bondo on Saturday, McOure described Raila as both a father figure and a friend, but insisted that the future of the party now rests firmly with his elder brother, Oburu.

“I am weeping because I have lost a father and a friend, and he opened the door to me. He treated me like a child of the home,” McOure said.

“The ODM party will be around for the next 20 years, but now it has to be under the firm leadership of Senator Oburu Odinga. They had better convene that national delegates conference and install him. He has the best ideals for the party. He has kept us together.”

McOure praised Raila’s role in uniting communities across Kenya, saying his greatest legacy was his ability to bind together diverse groups.

“The thing I thank Baba the most for is that he kept our community and minority communities together. Think about the Maa community, North Eastern, the Coast—he held us together as glue,” he said.

But in the wake of Raila’s passing, McOure warned of looming supremacy battles within ODM.

He stressed that Raila’s role was unique and not transferable in the traditional sense.

“You cannot inherit Raila Odinga’s position because it was not elective. Raila will be inherited from a person who shall emerge from the people. So, anyone who wants to bring antics, I am sending a stern warning. You cannot inherit Raila’s position,” he said firmly.

Instead, McOure maintained that Oburu Odinga, Raila’s elder brother and current Siaya Senator, was the natural leader to steady ODM through this period of mourning and transition.

He argued that Oburu has already shown his commitment to keeping the party united and has the experience to guide ODM in a post-Raila era.

His remarks reflect a growing conversation within ODM and among its supporters about succession and the party’s future direction.

Raila, who for decades was the face of Kenya’s opposition politics and later a key player in government, leaves behind a movement deeply intertwined with his personal brand.

The question of who carries forward ODM’s vision has become a pressing matter, especially with the vacuum left by his death.

As mourners continue flocking to Opoda Farm to condole with the family, McOure’s voice joins a chorus of calls for unity at a moment of national grief.