NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 3 — The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has postponed its 20th anniversary celebrations, initially set to begin in Mombasa on October 10, to allow more county-level commemorations amid visible cracks in its regional support.
ODM announced Friday that the national celebration will now be held in Mombasa on November 15–16, following a consultative meeting chaired by Party Leader Raila Odinga.
“The party leader graciously agreed to expand the program and ensure inclusivity by engaging with more counties before converging in Mombasa for the grand celebrations,” said House Minority Leader Junet Mohamed.
The decision comes barely a week after ODM staged a regional celebration in Kisii where thousands of supporters turned up, but all local ODM MPs skipped the event—a glaring absence that underscored growing unease in the party’s traditional strongholds.
In Kisii, only Governor Simba Arati and nominated MP Irine Mayaka were present. Other ODM MPs have recently gravitated toward former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi, who is eyeing the presidency in 2027.
‘Boycott at 20’: Elected ODM MPs keep off Kisii anniversary event » Capital News (capitalfm.co.ke)
As part of the revised program, ODM will now host a soccer tournament on October 9–10, alongside county-level events in Kajiado (October 15), Turkana (October 26), Kilifi (November 2), and Nairobi (November 9).
The expanded program is widely seen as an attempt to consolidate ODM’s grassroots support ahead of the 2027 elections, even as defections and shifting alliances test its dominance in regions once considered loyal.