Speaking at a tournament in Suna East Constituency on December 27, Oburu dismissed rumors about his health and declared his commitment to steering the party into the future.
“ODM has been led and built effectively by my brother. Raila was not just my brother; he was my confidant and my friend, and we lived together as twins for 80 years. Now he has left me, and I find myself carrying the yoke of ODM party leader. I am not afraid to tell you that I will not be shaken. Anybody who thinks that Oburu is about to die is seriously mistaken. I am the same as US President Donald Trump. We are both 82 years old,” Oburu said.
Oburu praised Raila for leaving ODM under a broad-based arrangement, calling it the best decision for the party’s future.
He stressed that the party must now move forward with unity and determination to secure victory in the 2027 general elections.
“Our people will not go to the opposition again. Our people have suffered in the opposition far too long. We are going to fight for it. We will not ask for favours. We will earn it by being in our party,” he added.
Despite the confident message, ODM is currently facing internal tensions ahead of the elections.
While Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna and other officials pledged loyalty to Raila’s last directive of supporting the broad-based arrangement, some deputy party leaders, including governors Abdulswamad Nassir and Simba Arati, expressed conditional support for President William Ruto.
They insist that ODM must either be in government or take charge itself, sparking concerns that some insiders might be plotting to “auction” the party to Ruto and former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Oburu also clarified that ODM’s current participation in government is not due to direct electoral support for Ruto but is a result of a negotiated broad-based framework focused on reforms and strategic interests.
He emphasised that the party’s involvement in government is about pursuing long-term goals rather than political convenience.
During the event, Oburu nearly forgot to welcome President Ruto and had to be reminded, joking that he thought MP Junet Mohammed—whom he claimed to have politically inherited after Raila’s death—would handle protocol.
Oburu’s remarks come amid widespread speculation about his health after he was reportedly taken ill abroad following Raila’s burial.
They insist that ODM must either be in government or take charge itself, sparking concerns that some insiders might be plotting to “auction” the party to Ruto and former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Oburu also clarified that ODM’s current participation in government is not due to direct electoral support for Ruto but is a result of a negotiated broad-based framework focused on reforms and strategic interests.
He emphasised that the party’s involvement in government is about pursuing long-term goals rather than political convenience.
During the event, Oburu nearly forgot to welcome President Ruto and had to be reminded, joking that he thought MP Junet Mohammed—whom he claimed to have politically inherited after Raila’s death—would handle protocol.
Oburu’s remarks come amid widespread speculation about his health after he was reportedly taken ill abroad following Raila’s burial.
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