James Orengo has strongly rejected the election of Oburu Oginga as the new party leader of the Orange Democratic Movement, saying the process did not follow the party’s constitutional requirements.
Speaking during an interview with a local radio station on Thursday, March 5, 2026, Orengo argued that the selection of Oburu as party leader was illegal because it was not conducted through the party’s National Delegates Convention (NDC), the organ mandated to elect the party leader.
According to Orengo, ODM members must be given the opportunity to choose their leader through the appropriate constitutional process.
Dispute Over Party Constitution
The Siaya governor explained that the ODM constitution clearly outlines what should happen when the party leader dies. He noted that the deputy party leader should automatically step in as the acting leader until the party convenes the National Delegates Convention to elect a substantive leader.
Orengo insisted that bypassing this process undermines the democratic structures of the party and disregards the role of party members in choosing their leadership.
“Kustahili hilo ni jambo la wanachama kwa sababu wanachama ndio wanachagua kiongozi, na haswa kupitia NDC,” Orengo said, emphasising that party members have the ultimate authority to elect their leader through the NDC.
The remarks add to the growing leadership dispute within the Orange Democratic Movement following the death of its longtime leader Raila Odinga.
Different factions within the party have been advancing competing interpretations of the party constitution and leadership succession, creating a tense political environment as the party seeks to reorganise its leadership structure.
Orengo’s statement signals that the leadership question within ODM is far from settled and may require a formal convention of delegates to resolve the dispute.
