- ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga led a delegation of senior party officials to Busia County for Mwezi Wa Baba activities
- Wanga dismissed claims that ODM had weakened since the death of its former leader Raila Odinga at a memorial tournament in Teso South
- ODM designated October 2026 as Mwezi Wa Baba, with events spanning multiple regions before a concluding rally in Nairobi on October 31
Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over four years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
Homa Bay Governor and ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga led a senior party delegation to Busia County on Sunday, October 11 as the Orange Democratic Movement pressed ahead with its month-long commemorations marking the first anniversary of Raila Odinga's death.
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The delegation was received by Busia governor Paul Otuoma and included Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya, National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed, Migori Woman Representative Fatuma Mohamed, Nairobi County Assembly Majority Leader Peter Imwatok and former Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong, alongside other party officials.
The group visited Funyula and Teso South constituencies as part of activities organised under the Mwezi Wa Baba programme, which honours Raila's contribution to Kenya's democracy and Pan-Africanism.
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Wanga defends ODM's strength and unity
At the Imwatok Super Cup, a Raila Odinga Memorial Tournament held in Teso South, Wanga pushed back against suggestions that the party had lost momentum since the passing of its former leader.
She praised Imwatok for organising the tournament, saying sporting events offered a practical way to keep Raila's legacy alive while drawing in young people.
Wanga urged Busia residents to remain united behind ODM and expressed confidence that the party would hold all its elective seats in the county during the next general election.
She also defended ODM's involvement in the broad-based government under President William Ruto, framing the arrangement as a vehicle for equitable national development.
The partnership has remained central to ODM's public messaging as its leaders work to balance national cooperation with grassroots mobilisation.
ODM's nationwide month of Raila's remembrance
ODM designated October 2026 as Mwezi Wa Baba, scheduling a series of events across Kenya to reflect on Raila's political legacy.
The programme launched with a nationwide candle-lighting ceremony on October 2, followed by a major memorial rally in Kakamega on October 9.
Further engagements are planned in northern Kenya, the Coast region, Kajiado and Turkana, with the month concluding at a rally in Nairobi on October 31.
In Busia, the combination of political forums and the Imwatok Super Cup gave ODM leaders a platform to address party cohesion, youth participation and the party's continued influence in Western Kenya, while paying tribute to the man widely credited with shaping the region's political identity.
Wanga's warning on ethnic politics
Earlier, the Homa Bay governor declared that ODM will not partner with leaders she accuses of exploiting ethnic divisions, directly naming former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua as a figure the party intends to keep at arm's length.
Wanga made the remarks on Saturday, October 10, 2026, during the ODM Delegates Convention held in Vihiga County.
Speaking before party delegates, she stressed that ODM would not associate itself with individuals whose political conduct, in her view, seeks to split Kenyans along tribal lines.
The governor's comments thrust the debate over tribalism and national cohesion back into the political conversation at a time when key figures across the country are actively positioning themselves ahead of future electoral contests.
Source: TUKO.co.ke