Kenyan politician Cleo Malalah has triggered fresh political controversy, accusing Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leaders Junet Mohammed and Gladys Wanga of betraying the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
In a statement posted on social media two hours ago, Malalah said: “The Late Former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga was betrayed by Junet Mohammed and Gladys Wanga. All the values he embodied have been auctioned to the highest bidder for a few pieces of silver.”
Malalah’s comments reflect growing tensions within ODM over the party’s strategic cooperation with President William Ruto’s administration — a relationship that has divided opinion inside the party since Odinga helped negotiate a broad‑based government arrangement after the 2022 general elections.
Junet’s Support for the Broad‑Based Government
Junet Mohammed, the National Assembly Minority Leader and Suna East MP, has been one of the most visible ODM figures advocating for continued engagement with the ruling coalition — despite criticism from some party stalwarts who argue it undermines the party’s opposition identity.
Junet has repeatedly defended the party’s place in the broad‑based government formed with President Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance, insisting that the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Odinga and Ruto remains valid and binding. He has publicly challenged senior ODM members opposing the deal, arguing that internal critics simply “do not understand President William Ruto and the broad‑based government.”
In speeches and engagements, Junet has emphasised the practical benefits of cooperation, including assuring Ruto of support from key communities ahead of the 2027 elections. In September 2025 he pledged that the Somali community would back the broad‑based government and help deliver on its development agenda, asserting that “the way things are moving, we shall reach 2027 together, God‑willing.”
He has also underlined the need for collaboration across party lines to address national challenges, describing bipartisanship as essential in a broad‑based government for the good of the country.
Internal ODM Rift
Gladys Wanga, ODM chairperson and Homa Bay Governor, has similarly supported continued engagement with the government, calling for unity and strategic cooperation. Critics within ODM, however, view this stance as abandoning the party’s founding values and marginalising Odinga’s legacy.
Political analysts say Malalah’s accusation underscores a deeper fault line within ODM between those who see alignment with the government as a pragmatic route to influence and those who view it as a betrayal of the party’s opposition roots.
Attempts to contact Junet Mohammed and Gladys Wanga for comment were ongoing at the time of publication.
