Raila Odinga: ODM must be strengthened ahead of next general election
By Steve Ireri, March 3, 2025Orange Democratic Movement [ODM] leader Raila Odinga has declared that the party must fortify its structures and bolster its influence as the country inches closer to the next general election.
Speaking at a resort in Malindi on Monday, March 3 2025, Odinga said the party’s grassroots supporters and leaders had emphasised the need to revitalise ODM to maintain its position as a formidable political force.
“Lakini cha muhimu zaidi wamesema wanataka chama chetu cha ODM kiimarishwe na ODM iwe na nguvu kuendelea mbele hata kuelekea kwa uchaguzi unaokuja,” Odinga said.
Odinga, flanked by Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro, his deputy Flora Chibule, Watamu MCA Ibrahim Abdi, Kilifi County Assembly Speaker Teddy Mwambire, and Senator Stewart Madzayo, noted that he had toured the county to meet his party’s officials and revealed that they had held discussions on its future.
The leader, who was Kenya’s candidate for the African Union Commission [AUC] chairmanship, revealed that the officials had expressed unwavering support for ODM and called for the party’s rejuvenation to ensure it remains influential in shaping the country’s political landscape.
He disclosed that he had been granted the mandate to engage with various political stakeholders, both within the opposition and the government, to chart a path that would secure ODM’s position in the upcoming elections.
He added that the conversations would seek to unify like-minded forces while addressing pressing national issues such as the high cost of living and devolution funding.
“Wamenipea ruhusa kuendelea mbele. Kwa hivyo hakuna tofauti na yale nilisema jana. Na wamenipatia mimi kibali niweze kuongea na wengine sio tu upande ile ingine ya serikali lakini pia wenzetu ambao wako kwa upinzani,” he stated.
Economic challenges
Beyond the party’s internal affairs, Odinga addressed the broader economic challenges plaguing Kenyans, emphasising that the high cost of living remained an unbearable burden for the majority.
He stated that leaders in Kilifi had raised concerns over escalating taxes and the failure of government interventions to alleviate economic distress.
The conversation, he noted, also touched on the state of healthcare, where he asserted that the much-promoted Social Health Authority [SHA] had yet to be effectively implemented, leaving citizens struggling to access quality medical services.
“Kiuchumi wananchi wanaumia. Hali na gharama ya maisha imepanda, ushuru uko juu. Kwa upande wa matibabu, hii mambo ya SHA bado haijafanya kazi sawasawa.”
He further elaborated on the challenges facing devolution, lamenting that county governments were not receiving adequate funds from the national government to efficiently execute their mandates.
According to him, leaders had raised grievances over stalled infrastructure projects, inadequate market construction, and the slow pace of the affordable housing initiative, all of which were hindering economic growth at the grassroots level.
“Wako na shida. Na upande wa ugatuzi shida iko ni kuwa pesa haiji ya kutosha hapa chini ya kufanya kazi sawasawa. Ilibidi wamesema ati mambo ya miundomsingi pia haiendeshwi sawasawa. Mambo ya ujenzi wa masoko, hata hii affordable housing vile vile kuna changamoto,” he stated.