Sabioti Member of Parliament Caleb Amisi has criticised the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) for its handling of the party’s 20th anniversary celebrations and the appointment of Oburu Odinga as party leader.

Speaking during an interview with a local TV station on November 17, 2025, Amisi described the decisions as premature and disrespectful to the memory of the late Raila Odinga.

“You know, the first thing I said, and I’ve been loud, I’m always very brutally honest. Okay, the first thing I said is that first, giving Oburu that position when you are barring Baba, it was a wrong timing. It could have been endorsed anyway. But why in a hurry? Okay, we’ve said it. And you see the repercussions. Then we said, okay, we were to do an ODM at 20. But now Baba’s left us. We are still mourning. People are mad out there,” he said.

Concerns over timing and party sensitivity

Amisi’s remarks followed the ODM at 20 celebrations held in Mombasa on November 15, 2025, which saw leaders offer conflicting stances on the party’s direction. He accused the leadership of failing to show sensitivity during a period of national grief.

“ODM leaders, today, all of you have let Baba down badly. Very unfortunate for the enigma,” he said, urging reflection on their actions. “All, and I mean all, leaders who spoke today at #ODM at 20, ask yourselves, would your speech have been the same if Baba were alive?”

The lawmaker emphasised the deep emotional impact of Raila’s passing, adding, “Baba was not an ordinary human being. Baba was in the hearts of people so deeply. Some people have cried. Some people are still crying. So, why can we just postpone? Is anybody going to die from postponing an ODM at 20? Celebrate after a month or so?”

Internal party conflicts highlighted

Amisi also highlighted a lack of listening within the party, saying, “They never listen to us. They say, you know, these guys are just Kenyawanda on their own. They’re young. They don’t know. A person who has been elected twice, you are telling me he’s young?”

He pointed to a cabal within ODM, adding, “It’s a cabal of people in the party who just feel that all the powers to determine what they want to do, they not listen to anybody. Because they listen to some of us. Then some of these things that happened, it could not have happened.”

Questioning the urgency behind decisions, he asked, “Who is this not listening to you? Mostly the leaders who are there currently. All of them. We try to talk to them and ask them, why are they in a hurry? Just relax. I mean, we love the celebration.”

Amisi also defended EALA MP Winnie Odinga against criticism from party members like Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai, underscoring ongoing tensions within ODM as it navigates its future without its iconic leader.