Oburu responds after benevolent dictator remarks spark uproar
By Sharon Atieno, July 11, 2026Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Oburu Oginga has defended his controversial “benevolent dictator” remarks, insisting they were misunderstood, even as he revealed that the party is quietly preparing a strong political team and a progressive manifesto ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Addressing criticism that followed his earlier comments, Oburu maintained that the word “benevolent” had been deliberately misinterpreted by his critics.
“And this is because of some little bit of push, which is called benevolence. If those people don’t understand English, I will teach them,” Oburu said in Yala, Gem Constituency, Siaya County, on Saturday, July 11, 2026
His latest remarks come days after his comments sparked criticism from political leaders, with some accusing him of endorsing authoritarian leadership.
Speaking on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, after witnessing the progress of the Sovereign Wealth Fund Bill at State House, Oburu said he offered President Ruto candid advice on leadership, urging him to remain steadfast in pursuing policies that serve the country’s long-term interests.
“I encouraged the President to occasionally employ a level of ‘benevolent dictatorship’ to stand firm, cut through the political noise, and make the hard, bold decisions necessary to achieve the absolute best for all Kenyans,” Oburu said.
ODM intensifies 2027 preparations
Besides addressing the controversial remarks, Oburu said the party is methodically preparing for the next general election and will unveil its political strategy at the appropriate time.
“So let’s be quiet. We are planning slowly, and we are soon going to form a very, very strong team which will negotiate with others. And we are going to come up with a very, very progressive manifesto,” Oburu said.
He noted that ODM is strengthening its cooperation plans as it positions itself for negotiations ahead of the 2027 polls.
Coalition talks remain on course
Oburu’s comments also reinforce his earlier position that ODM will not be rushed into concluding coalition negotiations with President William Ruto’s UDA.
Speaking during the ODM Women Empowerment Programme in Nyando, Kisumu County, on July 4, 2026 Oburu defended the pace of the talks, saying the party was deliberately avoiding exposing its political strategy too early.
“I’m not too slow. Election is next year in August. We still have more than one year to go,” he said at the time.
He argued that unveiling coalition plans prematurely would hand political rivals an opportunity to frustrate ODM’s strategy.
“If we try to make a coalition arrangement too early, we are going to give our opponents some clue of what we want to do, and they can shoot it from far very early,” he said.
Oburu added that ODM expects to conclude its coalition discussions before the end of 2026, maintaining that the party’s decisions will be guided by strategy, fairness and the need to present a strong political front ahead of the 2027 General Election.