The glue that held ODM together melted after Raila's death

Members of the Orange Democratic Movement Party at Orange House on September 30, 2025. [Kanyiri Wahito, Standard]

Raila Amolo Odinga’s death split his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), which his strong personality had temporarily held together. He mentally shuttled between two antagonistic camps whose only agreement was that they adored, feared, and recognised him as the political glue that held them together.

While one camp blamed President William Ruto for the mess in the country, the other, composed mostly of Raila’s age-mates, acted as custodians of ODM and tended to defend the links with Ruto’s government.