Imwatok censures ODM leaders over succession politics

Nairobi County Assembly Majority Leader Peter Imwatok./HANDOUT

Nairobi County Assembly Majority Leader Peter Imwatok has condemned ODM party leaders who are engaging in succession politics.

Imwatok said their actions do not reflect what former ODM Party leader, the late Hon. Raila Odinga, stood for.

According to Imwatok, the succession politics is premature and hell-bent, and those pushing it are driven by selfish interests rather than the interests of the party.

He called for constructive discussions among ODM party members to shape their future.

“If indeed we loved Baba Raila Odinga, not in words or slogans but in conviction, then the very least we could have done as his political sons and daughters was to accord him dignity in death," Imwatok said.

"We could have declared our own internal party mourning period, even three months, to allow the party, the nation, and ourselves to grieve, reflect, and honour his immense sacrifice before descending into this unnecessary and indecent noise."

He called on party members to engage in constructive discussions to shape ODM’s future without tearing the party apart through public disagreements.

Imwatok added that Raila's commitment to ODM was rooted in conviction rather than convenience, noting that the party was founded on strong ideological principles

“Let me be absolutely clear that Raila Odinga was ODM by conviction, not convenience. He built this party on ideology, sacrifice, discipline, inclusivity, and respect for institutions not on personal ambition or political opportunism,” he added.

ODM, which was formed in 2005 and officially registered as a political party in 2006, has remained one of Kenya’s most influential political movements. The late Raila has been its presidential flagbearer in multiple elections and was widely regarded as the party’s ideological anchor.

However, recent weeks have seen growing tensions within the party’s top leadership a few months after Raila's death on October 15, 2025, an event that plunged the party and the country into mourning and marked the end of an era for one of Kenya’s most inconsequential political figures.

There has been a bitter exchange between the ODM top brass, with one faction led by Secretary General Edwin Sifuna and another faction steered by party leader Oburu Odinga.

According to Imwatok, the rush by some leaders to position themselves politically so soon after Raila’s death reflects selfish ambition rather than loyalty to the ideals on which ODM was built.

“The public bickering, open succession wars, and reckless political positioning portray an uncomfortable truth, which is that for some, closeness to Baba was never about what he believed in, but about what they could milk,” Imwatok stated.

He urged ODM leaders to respect party structures, lower political temperatures and focus on preserving Raila Odinga’s legacy, warning that continued infighting could weaken the party ahead of future political contests and betray the trust of its supporters.