Why Uhuru is at the center of ODM’s succession politics

By Newsflash Writer

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has unexpectedly found himself at the heart of a simmering succession battle within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), exposing deepening fault lines inside the party as it navigates its post–Raila Odinga future and the shifting terrain ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The tensions came into sharp focus on Sunday, December 28, when Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga publicly accused Uhuru, who is also the leader of Jubilee Party, of sponsoring “mercenaries” to destabilise ODM.

Speaking during the Genowa Governor’s Cup finals at Raila Odinga Stadium in Homa Bay County—an event attended by President William Ruto—Wanga warned against what she termed external interference in the party’s internal affairs.

Wanga accuses Uhuru of destabilizing ODM

“We have respect for our brother, Uhuru Kenyatta, because he was our President,” Wanga told a cheering crowd. “When we were with him in the handshake government, he never came to Homa Bay. All the transformation we are witnessing came after we joined the broad-based government.”

While insisting that ODM leaders remained friendly with the former president, Wanga drew a firm line against alleged attempts to influence the party’s direction.

“We are just friends. However, we refuse any efforts to send mercenaries to destroy the ODM party. We loudly oppose that,” she said.

Her remarks drew loud chants from supporters as she issued a stern warning. “Please don’t send mercenaries to destabilise the ODM party. If it reaches there, we shall not be friends…and we shall deal with the matter perpendicularly,” Wanga added.

Claims of cash and counter-claims

The accusations followed claims made last weekend by National Assembly Minority Leader and Suna East MP Junet Mohamed, who alleged that Uhuru was planning to spend more than Sh1 billion to “revamp” ODM. The remarks fuelled speculation that the former president was quietly positioning himself in the party’s succession politics, despite publicly keeping a low profile.

However, Jubilee Party Deputy Organising Secretary Pauline Njoroge dismissed the allegations on Monday, December 29, terming them propaganda driven by internal ODM anxieties. She said some ODM leaders were unsettled by the warm reception Uhuru received during the burial of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

“It’s obvious that Uhuru Kenyatta’s popularity even in ODM zones, and the reception he got during Baba’s funeral, is really bothering some people,” Njoroge said. “Instead of dealing with their own internal disagreements, they have decided to make him the scapegoat.”

She argued that ODM’s troubles were self-inflicted, pointing to divisions between leaders aligned with President Ruto’s broad-based government and a younger faction opposed to working with the administration. “That disconnect is the real problem, not outsiders,” she said, adding that Uhuru has no interest in dividing ODM and is not a candidate in 2027.

The bigger 2027 calculations

Political analysts say Uhuru’s re-emergence on the national stage—alongside Jubilee Party activities and the return of former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i—has unsettled both ODM and State House strategists.

According to political analyst Prof Peter Kagwanja, the former president’s renewed visibility is complicating President Ruto’s 2027 calculations, particularly in regions traditionally aligned with ODM. “Obviously, the return of Uhuru has sent Ruto back to the drawing board,” Kagwanja said. “He might be using leaders within ODM to fight him off and ensure Uhuru has no penetration in Luoland.”

As ODM grapples with internal succession politics and its uneasy relationship with the Kenya Kwanza administration, Uhuru’s shadow continues to loom large—raising questions about whether he is an active player or merely a convenient symbol in a party struggling to define its future.