List of founding members who accompanied Ruto to ODM founders’ dinner
By Luke Oluoch, November 15, 2025The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has confirmed a list of six founding members in attendance for the party’s founders’ dinner, currently underway in Mombasa.
Speaking during ODM@20 celebrations on Saturday, November 15, 2025, Junet Mohammed confirmed that the president was accompanied by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.
According to Junet, other founder members invited for the event are Mumbi Ngaru, former Cabinet Secretaries Franklin Bett and Henry Kosgey, and the East African Community CS, Beatrice Askul, affectionately referred as ‘Raila’s Daughter.’
Raila’s Daughter
Askul served as the first female CS from Turkana in 2024 following her appointment as Cabinet Secretary (CS) for East African Community (EAC) Affairs.
“Tonight is a founder members’ day. They have been invited, and this is their night,” he said.
“We have President William Ruto, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, and Mumbi Ngaru. Henry Kosgey, Franklin Bett, and CS Askul Beatrice. That is the list of the founding members of this party,” he confirmed.
Junet also recognised the presence of other influential leaders, whom he identified as senior figures within ODM.
“We have other big men in this party, such as CS Wycliffe Oparanya and Hassan Joho, but they are not founders,” he added with a light touch.
Junet additionally confirmed that Ruto had agreed to host the founders’ dinners as a founding member of the party, having initially discussed the issue with the late Raila Odinga.
“These celebrations started when our departed party leader was there. He discussed it at length with you. We were supposed to do this on October 14 to 16, then he travelled. Unfortunately, he did not come back.
“You agreed that you are going to host the ODM Founders’ Dinner party in Mombasa as a founder member. We appreciate you for that,” he stated.
Other than Bett and Kosgey, who served as the National Chairman of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) during his active years in the party (from 2007 until his resignation in 2012), Ngaru is a longtime friend of Raila Odinga and formerly served as an MP at the East African Legislative Assembly.
On his part, Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o reflected on the significance of the founders’ dinner, noting the presence of key figures who had been with the party since its inception.
“It is a good day that we have come together as a family. I would like to put the record straight. The Orange became more than a fruit. It became a symbol and the emblem of people demanding justice and the promise of a Kenya reborn,” he said.