The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party has distanced itself from the activities of businessman and politician Oketch Salah, declaring that his recent activities and public engagements do not represent the party.
In a statement on Friday, February 7, ODM’s National Chairperson Gladys Wanga clarified that Salah’s actions were undertaken in a personal capacity and without the approval of ODM structures.
“The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) wishes to clarify that any activities, statements, or engagements undertaken by Mr. Oketch Salah are carried out strictly in his personal capacity and do not represent or bind the Orange Democratic Movement in any way,” the statement read.
ODM disowns Salah’s forums
The Homa Bay Governor stressed that all official programmes and political activities must be channelled through the Party Secretariat under the leadership of Party Leader Dr. Oburu Odinga.
She further urged grassroots members not to organise events in the party’s name without proper authorization, reaffirming ODM’s commitment to order, discipline, and structured political engagement.
Wanga’s clarification came hours after an event organised by Salah at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi drew attention, with attendees seen dressed in ODM colours.
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Preliminary reports indicated the gathering, which had been scheduled to run until 4:00 a.m. on Saturday, ended prematurely after a section of attendees demanded payment and food before they could continue sitting through what they described as a government-planned event.
The gathering quickly triggered internal backlash, with Saboti Member of Parliament Caleb Amisi publicly questioning the decision to print President William Ruto’s image on ODM-branded merchandise
In a statement on Friday, Amisi demanded to know when the party’s National Delegates Convention had approved such a move, raising concern over what he viewed as an unusual shift in the party’s political posture.
Oketch Salah responds
On Friday night, Salah responded to the developments, attributing the disruption to internal disagreements among organisers and signalling a shift in his mobilisation strategy toward direct engagement with university students and youth networks across several campuses.
“Following some misunderstandings within the comrades’ leadership, I’ve decided to take the initiative and visit UoN, KU, TUK, JKUAT, Machakos & Multimedia personally so we can talk, align and move forward together as one family. See you on Monday,” he said.
In recent months, Salah has emerged as a controversial figure within ODM circles. A businessman-turned-political mobiliser, Salah rose to prominence in late 2025 after presenting himself as a close confidant and “adopted son” of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Before the KICC event, he had organised a series of political meetings and grassroots engagements across the country, including in Kericho and Kamukunji.
He has on several occasions asserted that ODM should remain within the “broad-based” government and support President Ruto, arguing that this reflects Raila Odinga’s final political position.
His claims, however, have been fiercely rejected by members of the Odinga family, sparking a bitter public fallout. Winnie Odinga, in a media interview on January 27, dismissed Salah’s assertions about being present during Raila’s final moments as false and misleading, warning that such claims could misinform the public.
Raila Odinga Junior also rejected Salah’s narrative, while the businessman insisted that he had spoken truthfully but would avoid further public exchanges out of respect for the family.
Oburu Odinga responds to Sifuna’s remarks
Earlier, ODM Party Leader Dr. Oburu Odinga moved to address internal tensions within the party following recent public remarks by Secretary General Edwin Sifuna.
Odinga, in a detailed statement on Friday, acknowledged the public debate sparked by Sifuna’s interview but stressed that, while ODM encourages open discussion, official party policy must be determined by its constitutional organs rather than by individual opinion.
“ODM policy is not shaped by individual preference; it is the product of structured deliberation through properly constituted Party organs,” he said.
The Siaya Senator also warned against statements that could mislead supporters about the legitimacy of party structures and office holders, noting that ODM has consistently adhered to its constitution and the rule of law.
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Odinga pointed out contradictions in Sifuna’s recent position on coalition planning and internal processes, warning that the selective interpretation of party structures risked creating confusion among members.
“It was also difficult not to note the contradiction in the Secretary General’s position regarding pre-coalition negotiations… As a responsible political Party preparing to form the next government, we must plan ahead. Strategic engagement is not panic; it is prudence.”
The Party Leader reaffirmed that the party remains anchored in its core ideals of social democracy, equity, justice, devolution, constitutionalism, and inclusive governance, adding that ODM will continue engaging its members and stakeholders while preparing for future political alignments.
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