Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Oburu Odinga has pledged that the Orange party will champion economic justice and shared prosperity for Kenyans.

Taking to his official X account on Monday, March 9, 2026, Oburu said the party is committed to addressing the country’s economic challenges and improving livelihoods.

He said ODM is offering more than a political manifesto, describing its agenda as a “covenant” with citizens to build a society where economic opportunity and dignity are accessible to all.

“The Orange Democratic Movement does not just offer a manifesto; we offer a covenant to build a society where hard work is rewarded, taxes are respected, and ‘Maisha Bora’ becomes a lived reality for every Kenyan,” he said.

Third liberation

Oburu went ahead to say that Kenya must now focus on what he described as the country’s “third liberation”, which he framed as the struggle for economic empowerment.

He noted that previous generations fought for political freedoms, including the right to vote, freedom of expression, and democratic governance.

“​Let us march together toward this economic Liberation. For decades, we fought for the First Liberation—the right to vote, the right to speak, and the right to govern ourselves. But today, the Orange Democratic Movement stands before you to lead the third Liberation, the liberation of the Kenyan pocket,” he stated.

However, he argued that political freedom alone is not enough if citizens continue to struggle economically.

The ODM leader said the party’s economic strategy is aimed at ensuring that the wealth of the country benefits a wider section of the population rather than a small elite.

According to him, the party’s vision is built on promoting fairness, accountability in the use of public resources, and policies that empower ordinary citizens.

Oburu said ODM’s goal is to create a system where economic opportunities are distributed more equitably and where the benefits of national development reach all communities.

He emphasised that the party’s agenda is focused on improving the everyday lives of Kenyans, particularly those struggling with the rising cost of living and limited economic opportunities.

The ODM leader urged Kenyans to support what he described as a broader movement aimed at achieving economic liberation and restoring dignity to working families.

“We believe that political freedom without economic dignity is a hollow victory. ODM’s vision for Economic Justice and Shared Prosperity is built from the ground up, ensuring that the wealth of our nation is not a luxury for the few, but a right for the many,” Oburu wrote on X.

Nyong’o’s call

Oburu’s remarks come a day after Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o warned that the ODM party risks drifting away from its founding ideals if it fails to address internal wrangles and return to the principles that shaped the party two decades ago.

In a lengthy statement shared via his official Facebook account on Sunday, March 8, 2026, Nyong’o said the party must remain faithful to the reformist ideals that emerged during the historic push for constitutional change in Kenya.

The Kisumu governor, who described himself as one of the pioneers of the party and its former secretary general, said political parties are not accidents of history but products of moral and political necessity.

“ODM wrangles: Party must go back to basics. I write not merely as a commentator on history, but as one who stood at the birth of this Movement the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM); as its pioneer Emeritus Secretary General; as a scholar of politics who understands that political movements are never accidents of time but products of moral necessity; and as a servant of the people who knows that silence at such a moment would itself be a betrayal of history,” Nyong’o stated.