From fighting state abuse to cheering it, how ODM has lost its soul

Police officers forcefully arrest a protester during the Gen Z protest anniversary in Nairobi on June 25, 2026. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

The winds of change have swept through the once-dedicated democratic ideals- the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party- as party stalwarts bask in the glory of President William Ruto's repressive tactic of state abductions against critics and perceived opponents.

The very foundation that the late ODM leader Raila Odinga built as a basis for the broad-based government has been trashed. The ten-point agenda was supposed to help the country navigate the murky waters of poor governance and protests that had threatened the Ruto regime.