The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has called on the media to exercise
restraint and avoid sensational reporting on the party’s internal affairs.
The party said the focus should instead be on fostering unity and continuing
Raila Odinga’s legacy.
In a statement issued after a meeting of the party’s Central Management Committee,
ODM leaders said their biggest challenge was not factional competition but
ensuring cohesion and renewal after the loss of their long-time leader.
“I beseech the media to avoid the tendency for sensationalism and the
incessant hunt for negative news within the party,” Secretary General Edwin
Sifuna said.
“ODM's biggest problem now will not be which faction is winning against
which one. Today, the Central Management Committee of the party has met and
laid a firm foundation of unity upon which we can build on, moving forward.”
The committee appealed to the press to highlight ODM’s efforts to remain united,
describing the party as a fabric built from diverse materials originating from
everywhere in the country.
“Please help us sustain this momentum by not perpetually hyping on perceived
divisions,” the party said.
“We may not always speak the same language, but we certainly know how to
avoid the pitfalls of division that will happen on our path.”
The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the values upon which the late former
Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, built the party—democracy, equity, inclusion, and
truth—saying ODM was not just a political party, but a covenant.
“Baba built this movement on the foundation of values: democracy, equity,
inclusion, and truth. ODM is not just a political party; it is a covenant. A
covenant that we, the living, must now renew,” Sifuna said.
The Orange party also cautioned members and supporters against internal
wrangles or attempts to claim Raila’s political inheritance, emphasizing that
his true legacy lay in the mission to create a fair and just Kenya.
“Let us resist the temptation to scatter in despair, or to fight over his
political inheritance as leaders often do when giants fall.
“Raila's true inheritance is not a name or a position, but a mission to
continue the struggle for a Kenya that works for all its children, regardless
of tribe, class, or creed.”
The committee concluded by pledging to safeguard ODM’s unity and purpose.
“We commit here in unison, as we did during the funeral, that we will not be
responsible for any breakup in the party, or any unnecessary political
turbulence that runs counter to Jakom's dream,” the central committee insisted.
The top leadership of the ODM party met in Nairobi on Monday and endorsed
Oburu Oginga as the party leader of ODM after acting for slightly over a week.
The party also announced that it will continue to work with the broad-based
arrangement bound by the agreed 10-point framework between ODM and the ruling
United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
The Committee also announced a series of memorials in honour of the former Prime
Minister and ongoing plans to mark the party’s 20-year anniversary.
