Former LSK President Nelson HaviFormer Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Nelson Havi has urged Nairobi Senator and ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna to take charge of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) following the death of party leader Raila Odinga.
Speaking during an interview at Citizen TV, Monday, Havi said that while it is necessary to mourn Raila, Sifuna should not delay in assuming leadership of the party. He noted that moments of political transition require courage and decisiveness.
“Mourn Raila Odinga, but do not hesitate in taking over the leadership of ODM,” Havi said.
“In fact, by right now you should have taken over; otherwise, the ODM party will continue disintegration. It will continue deviation and fragmentation; it will remain a party domiciled in Siaya, Migori, Homa Bay, and Kisumu,” he added.
Havi stressed that Raila built ODM as a national movement and would not have wanted it confined to only a few regions. He said the continuity of the party depends on strong leadership and a clear succession plan.
“When the king is dead, the heir apparent is prepared for coronation quickly,” he said.
“That is how transitions work. A succession to high office does not require hesitation.”
The former LSK boss urged Sifuna to rise beyond mourning and take responsibility for steering the party into its next phase, saying the moment called for firmness and vision.
“I do not think that is what Raila Odinga would want—to see the party he built fragment. Take over the party,” Havi urged.
His remarks come as ODM members continue to mourn the death of Raila, whose political leadership and influence defined Kenya’s opposition politics for decades.
There has been uncertainty within ODM regarding who should take over its leadership. Some party members prefer to remain in the broad-based government, while others want ODM to field its own presidential candidate in the 2027 General Election.
Sifuna has been among those pushing for ODM to remain independent and strengthen its grassroots structures ahead of the polls.
Although ODM has named Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga as the acting party leader, questions remain about who will officially take the helm as the party navigates a sensitive transition.
Raila Odinga, the long-serving party leader, died on October 15, 2025, in Kochi, India, where he had been receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness.
Meanwhile, ODM delegates from Nyanza have endorsed Oburu Odinga to succeed his late brother.
Delegates from Kisumu, Siaya, Migori, and Homa Bay counties met in Homa Bay on Friday and formally backed Oburu’s leadership, signaling growing regional support for his takeover during this delicate transition period.
