Orengo Warns ODM Will Be “Reduced to a Village Party” if It Backs William Ruto's 2027 Bid

Siaya governor James Orengo has warned ODM against joining into any political deal with President William Ruto.

He stated that such an alliance would weaken ODM's national status, reducing it to a provincial outfit.

Orengo emphasized that collaborating with Ruto would not make sense, and encouraged the party to tread carefully as the 2027 elections approached. 

"It's evident that people are going out of their way to force ODM into arrangements that don't make sense. If we collaborate with Kenya Kwanza or UDA, ODM is likely to be a minor party, pushed back into Luo Nyanza," he remarked. 

Orengo belongs to the ODM faction that opposes the broad-based regime. Senators Godfrey Osotsi (Vihiga) and Nairobi's Edwin Sifuna, who also serves as the party's secretary general, are among those represented.

They accused their counterparts in the opposing faction of attempting to auction off the party to the president. Oburu Oginga, the party leader, leads this side.

They have pledged to work with the president until 2027, indicating that the party will form an alliance with Ruto to support his re-election attempt.

The pro-Ruto camp claims that the late Raila Odinga approved of the collaboration and that it will continue.