No beef with Oburu: Orengo clarifies stance on ODM leader, insists dispute is not personal
By Martin Oduor, May 7, 2026Siaya governor James Orengo has moved to quell rumours of a personal fallout with Oburu Oginga, insisting that his critiques of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) are rooted in constitutional principles rather than “beef”.
During an explosive interview on Wednesday night, May 6, 2026, the 76-year-old Senior Counsel took aim at the party’s current management, claiming that ODM has failed to adhere to its own founding rules following the death of its party leader.
Addressing the perceived tension between himself and the Oginga family, Orengo was quick to clarify that his stance is professional, not personal.
“I don’t have beef with Oburu Oginga; it is not a personal thing,” the governor stated firmly.
“What we are saying is that ODM must live true to its founding principles and it also must live by the Constitution”.
Orengo argued that according to party law, when a vacancy occurs at the top, one of the three deputy party leaders should have been installed as an interim leader until fresh elections are conducted – a process he claims has been ignored following the death of Raila Odinga.
With no official interim leader appointed, Orengo made the bold claim that he has stepped into the breach to lead the party by default.
“That did not happen. But because we cannot have a vacuum, I am the de facto party leader of ODM,” he declared.
The governor’s self-appointment as the “de facto” head marks a significant escalation in the internal power struggle currently rocking one of Kenya’s most established political outfits.
In tandem with his claim to leadership, Orengo announced the formation of a new internal movement dubbed Linda Mwananchi.
The movement appears designed to act as a pressure group within the party to ensure it returns to what Orengo describes as its “founding principles”.
“We have a movement within ODM called Linda Mwananchi,” Orengo revealed, signalling that the battle for the soul of the party is far from over.
As the governor continues to push for constitutional adherence, all eyes remain on how the ODM top brass will respond to his “de facto” status.