Osotsi Sounds Alarm at ODM PG: Calls for Unity, Accountability and a Bold Presidential Path
At a charged and introspective sitting held today at the Parliament Buildings in Nairobi, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) convened a Joint Parliamentary Group Meeting bringing together Senators and Members of the National Assembly to confront growing internal tensions within the party.
The meeting, coming at a pivotal moment for ODM, offered a rare platform for frank reflection on the party’s direction, unity, and future political strategy amid simmering divisions.
At the heart of the deliberations was a firm and candid address by ODM Deputy Party Leader, Senator Godfrey Osotsi.
“We Are at a Critical Moment”
Osotsi set the tone with unmistakable clarity: ODM is at a crossroads.
He reminded members that the party was meeting at a “critical moment” in its history , a time demanding unity, discipline, and principled leadership. Invoking the enduring influence of Raila Odinga, fondly known as Baba. Hon Osotsi recalled his powerful words from the last Parliamentary Group Meeting: “Who told you?”
According to the Deputy Party Leader, that question should now serve as ODM’s rallying call a reminder that the party must resist external manipulation, internal fragmentation, and narratives that weaken its collective resolve.
For Osotsi, the message was clear: unity must not be conditional; it must be deliberate.
A Bold Challenge: ODM Must Aim for the Presidency
In perhaps the most defining part of his speech, Osotsi challenged the party to think beyond compromise politics.
He urged ODM to seriously consider fielding its own presidential candidate in the next election rather than positioning itself for what he termed the “lesser role” of Deputy President.
His remarks signaled a push for renewed political ambition.
ODM, he argued, must reclaim its identity as a leading national force and stop settling for secondary roles in coalition arrangements. The party’s history, support base, and ideological foundation, he implied, demand nothing less.
Holding UDA to Account
Osotsi also addressed the ten-point agenda signed in March last year between ODM and the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
He raised concerns over what he described as a lack of good faith in implementing the agreement, noting that the implementation deadline falls on Saturday, March 7, 2026.
He cautioned those advancing the “two-term narrative” to remain mindful of the commitments made under that agreement.
“Political engagements must be grounded in accountability and respect for agreed principles,”
Osotsi emphasized, underscoring that ODM must not allow itself to be taken for granted.
Standing Firm for Sifuna and Internal Democracy
Equally striking was Osotsi’s firm defense of Secretary General Edwin Sifuna amid ongoing moves to remove him from office.
He described the push to oust Sifuna alongside what he termed calculated efforts to sideline leaders holding divergent views, including himself as troubling and potentially damaging to party cohesion.
Targeting leaders for expressing independent opinions, he warned, would only deepen divisions within ODM.
In a strong appeal for sobriety and fairness, Osotsi called for an urgent review of the decision to remove Sifuna, urging members to prioritize unity and institutional integrity over factional rivalries.
A Defining Test for ODM’s Future
By the close of his address, it was evident that Osotsi was not merely contributing to debate — he was defining it.
Positioning himself as a defender of party democracy and internal accountability, the Deputy Party Leader framed the meeting as more than a routine gathering. It was, in essence, a defining test of ODM’s resilience and political courage.
Whether the party heeds his call for unity, accountability, and bold presidential ambition may ultimately shape its trajectory heading into the next electoral cycle.
