The Orange Democratic Movement’s new leader, Oburu Oginga, cut a forlorn figure, adjusting to the realities of being at the centre of a bustling political rally, as witnessed during the public forum at Kamukunji Grounds on Wednesday, January 14, 2026.

In a typical fashion, defining occasional tumult in ODM public functions and more specifically in Kibra, the veteran leader affectionately referred to as “Youth Leader” seemed a bit apprehensive of the environment packed with youthful enthusiasts of the party.

Crowd chants and noise

Among the issues that appeared to be at odds included the constant chants that punctuated his address, forcing him to momentarily stop midway, while he was also left wondering why a section of the crowd was not raising their hands in response to his request to affirm their support for his proposal over a said party’s decision.

Oburu’s evident struggles started moments after Nairobi’s Luo Council of Elders took over the fag end of the event to honour the newly installed leader.

The council members handed him Luo’s instruments of power, consisting of the famous three-legged stool, Orengo (whisk), and Okumba (shield), among others, as a show of his leadership as the new ODM and a larger role of leading the community.

Crowded dais

Just as other ODM leaders who spoke before him, the veteran leader was not at ease with a seemingly crowded dais. that had remained just as packed despite calls for the persons with no business at the dais to climb down, falling on deaf ears.

After commencing his speech, Oburu shortly cut short the address, electing to vent his slight discomfort through his local dialect.

“It is now time; I want to speak. Just give me the time to speak, and please move aside a bit so that I can address the people now,” a visibly agitated Oburu pleaded as he also seemed to wonder why the noise was never dying down to permit him to pass his message across.

The leader, however, shook off the challenge to continue his address, revealing his decision to begin his public rally in Nairobi with a rally at Kibra.

He took the opportunity to explain the relevance of the venue to the ODM party and his late brother, Raila Odinga.

“Every time Raila came from outside with any important message, he always started here at Kbra Grounds. So this place is a significant place for our politics,” he stated. Similarly, I decided to start with Kibra as a fitting remembrance of Raila, as this was his bedroom,” he stated.

The fiery political function marked a historic return of the ODM party in Kibra grounds, a region fondly referred to as the late Raila’s ‘political bedroom.’