'Time to work and deliver,' Oburu tells ODM after by-election victory

ODM party leader Oburu Oginga with secretary for political affairs and Kisumu West MP Rosa Buyu congratulates Harrison Kombe after winning the Magarini constituency seat in the recent by elections. [Collins Oduor, Standard]

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Oburu Oginga has called on party members to consolidate gains in three constituencies after sweeping November 27 by-elections.

He said the victories restored representation in seats vacant for months.

Speaking at party headquarters in Nairobi on Tuesday, December 2, Oburu said the wins in Ugunja, Magarini and Kasipul demonstrated the strength of ODM's partnership with President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA) under the broad-based government arrangement.

"This is not a time for us to sleep; it is time for us to work and deliver and to strengthen our party, ODM," Oburu said while hosting the victorious candidates.

Moses Omondi won Ugunja with 9,447 votes against Wiper's Orodi Odhiambo, who garnered 1,819 votes.

Harrison Kombe captured Magarini with 17,909 votes, defeating Democracy for Citizens Party candidate Stanley Kenga, who received 8,907 votes.

Boyd Were secured Kasipul with 16,819 votes against independent candidate Philip Aroko's 8,476.

The Ugunja seat fell vacant after MP Opiyo Wandayi resigned to join President Ruto's Cabinet in August.

Wandayi was nominated July 2024 and sworn in August same year as Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development.

The Magarini seat was vacated after the Supreme Court in May nullified Harrison Kombe's 2022 election victory, citing irregularities including ballot stuffing that affected the outcome.

Kombe had initially won by only 21 votes over UDA's Stanley Kenga in the 2022 election.

The High Court first nullified the result in March 2023, a decision upheld by the Court of Appeal in July 2023 and affirmed by the Supreme Court in May. The by-election came nearly 18 months after the nullification.

The Kasipul seat remained vacant following the fatal shooting of MP Charles Ong'ondo Were on April 30.

Police described Were's killing as a targeted and premeditated assassination. He was shot by gunmen on a motorcycle as his vehicle stopped at a traffic light near the City Mortuary roundabout on Ngong Road in Nairobi.

The by-elections came as ODM navigates internal tensions following the death of former party leader Raila Odinga, who had championed the party's cooperation with the Ruto administration.

Some party members, including Secretary General Edwin Sifuna and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino have questioned the alliance's direction.