Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) rebel leaders, led by Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna, have assembled in Kawangware for a joint church service.

This came on Sunday, January 25, 2026, as the rest of the ODM fraternity was in Kisii carrying out the party’s Linda Ground Forum, which was a resolution of ODM’s Central Management Committee (CMC) that tasked Oburu Odinga with initiating structured talks with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ahead of the 2027 elections.

The majority of the leaders present at the church service, led by Sifuna, are opposed to the party’s current direction and the recent move by the party’s CMC to pursue a pact with UDA.

The leaders present included Siaya Governor James Orengo, ODM Deputy Party Leader Godfrey Osotsi, and several MPs who are part of Sifuna’s Kenya Moja Caucus, including Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Saboti MP Caleb Amisi, Kitutu Masaba MP Cleive Gesairo, Bomachoge Borabu MP Obadiah Barongo, Funyula MP Wilberforce Oundo, and Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka, among others.

The above team are currently at loggerheads with the ODM party due to their opposition to the broad-based government. None of the above leaders has participated in the party’s Linda Ground Forums.

A section of these leaders is also opposed to Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga being at the helm of the party. Babu Owino has, on many occasions, called for the removal of the current party leader, saying that he is the one who should be the party leader and not Oburu.

He called for the party’s National Delegates Conference (NDC) to be convened so that he could be declared the party leader. He said that after the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, he is the one who should have taken over the party leadership, using the analogy of Moses, who, upon his exit, left the role of leading the Israelites to Canaan to Joshua, who was younger, and not his agemate Aaron.

Caleb Amisi has also come out to differ with the installation of Oburu Odinga as the party head, saying that he is at the helm illegally. According to him, the party leader is only elected through the party’s National Delegates Conference (NDC) and not appointed, as was the case.

Siaya Governor James Orengo, who is critical and totally opposed to the party’s move to form a pact with UDA, has argued that the Orange Party, which has been in existence for over two decades, risks being reduced into a Luo party or a regional outfit, washing away the national outlook the late Raila Odinga gave it for the 20 years since its inception in 2005.

Osotsi, on his part, has opposed the party’s haste to enter into a coalition agreement with the UDA party, stating that what they should have championed instead is the 10-point agenda that their late party leader was passionate about, which even formed the basis of his agreement with President William Ruto.