Lawyer and political analyst Steve Ogolla has stated that claims suggesting Raila Odinga did not leave the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) in government are dishonest.

During an interview on a local radio station on Wednesday, January 14, 2025, Ogolla dismissed the notion that Raila did not leave a clear succession plan for how his party should act after his death. At the time of Raila’s passing, ODM was part of a broad-based government, and that should remain the party’s official position.

Ogolla explained that Raila had left a succession plan, which was evident because he was deeply involved in the broad-based government at the time of his death.

He emphasised that Raila had been clear about the need for the country to move forward following the Gen Z protests, striking a handshake with the President and agreeing on a ten-point agenda for governance, which formed the framework of the broad-based government as it exists today.

According to Ogolla, at the time of Raila’s death, there was no public evidence of a fallout between him and the President. Therefore, there was a reasonable assumption that had he been alive, the broad-based government would have continued into 2027.

“So those who argue that Baba didn’t leave a clear roadmap or direction on the fate of ODM in relation to its relationship with UDA’s concerns, I think that is being dishonest.  He left ODM in government,” Ogolla added

Beyond 2027, Ogolla added that it was also reasonable to assume that if the government survived, a pre-election package would have been negotiated to include both ODM and UDA in the elections and immediately afterwards.

Ogolla stated that without evidence of conflict within the broad-based government, it is reasonable to assume that Raila would have continued with the government until the end and beyond 2027.

Noting that those who argue that Raila did not leave a clear roadmap or direction on ODM’s relationship with UDA are being dishonest, as ODM was left in government.

ODM experts

He also argued that since the four experts that were donated by ODM to join President William Ruto’s cabinet, which formed the basis of a broad-based government, are not complaining of being mistreated by UDA.

There is no legitimate reason to dissolve or leave the broad-based government that they entered after blessings from their late party leader

“ODM must be doing very well. They are political experts. John Mbadi, Hassan Joho, Wycliffe Oparanya, Opiyo Wandayi, and I have not complained.”

“What would create a legitimate reason to rethink, or even to leave or dissolve, the broad-based government is if the political experts from the ODM wing of government complained that after Baba’s death they are now being mistreated. That would cause serious concern.”

This comes 2 days after ODM’s Central Management Committee (CMC) mandated their party leader to initiate pre-election coalition talks with UDA