The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has unveiled an ambitious plan to give its grassroots members a greater say in decision-making ahead of the 2027 elections.

Amid the recent rifts, fueled by ideological divisions and claims of a lack of consultation within the party structure following the death of its late leader, Raila Odinga, the veteran party unveiled the initiative, dubbed “Operation Linda Ground,” on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at Kamukunji Grounds in Kibra Constituency, Nairobi

The initiative was led by Homa Bay Governor and ODM’s Chairperson Gladys Wanga, alongside Party Leader Oburu Oginga.

Shaping our direction

According to Wanga, the initiative will be crucial in facilitating increased participation by party members in the party’s key decision-making organs while retaining its grassroots feel.

“At the Kamukunji Grounds in Kibera Constituency, under the leadership of Party Leader Senator Oburu Oginga, we conducted a productive ODM Public Consultative Forum as we officially launched Operation Linda Ground—an assertive initiative for mobilising our grassroots membership to actively participate in shaping the future direction of our party,” she stated in a post on her Facebook page.

Wanga affirms Oburu’s leadership

Meanwhile, Wanga also addressed the furore surrounding the party’s new leadership under the Siaya Senator.

The matter has been a major polarising factor within the party’s circles, with some members dismissing the leadership as a mere appointment as opposed to being duly elected by party members.

The debate over the state of Oburu leadership also came to the fore in the fiery Kibra rally, with some party members, including some Nairobi MPs, accusing a rival faction of insubordination toward the new leader.

Wanga, however, affirmed her allegiance to the leader, stating that he enjoys the full backing and that the party had wholly entrusted him with the responsibility of taking charge of party affairs and ushering in a new leadership dispensation.

ODM returns to Kibra ground

“We have now given him the mandate to take over the implementation of the ten-point agenda and also to start talks with like-minded parties like UDA, because we are in the broad-based government,” she added.

During the Kibra rally, residents thronged the streets, clad in party regalia and caps, braving the scorching heat to join the party leadership in what went down as ODM’s first meeting at the iconic Kamukunji Grounds, which hosted most of the late Raila Odinga’s major political events and served as a key venue for opposition politics throughout his long struggle