Raila insists ODM still in opposition, demands IEBC overhaul

Raila dismissed speculation about cooperation with the government during an ODM National Executive Committee meeting in Mombasa on Sunday, clarifying that the party's participation in talks was solely for national dialogue and not a political merger.

“There is no marriage between ODM and Kenya Kwanza. We have not signed any agreement. We only want a national dialogue to discuss issues affecting the country, and that conversation has not taken place. We are not in government,” Odinga firmly stated.

He emphasised that ODM's participation in the talks was intended to address critical national issues such as high living costs and electoral reforms, but it did not imply that the party had switched allegiances from the opposition.

Raila's remarks come in the wake of cabinet appointments that saw prominent ODM figures, including former Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, Wycliffe Oparanya, and John Mbadi, take on key roles within President William Ruto's administration. 

Joho has been nominated as the Cabinet Secretary for Mining, while Oparanya is set to head the Cooperatives and MSME Development portfolio, and Mbadi has been appointed as the Treasury Cabinet Secretary.

Raila also used the platform to call for unity within ODM, urging members to keep peace and fairness as the party prepares for grassroots elections.

"Why should elections be a matter of life and death? If you really want democracy, why is it that you do not want to be defeated?" he questioned, warning against internal divisions that could undermine the party’s position in the coastal region.

Addressing the country's political climate, Odinga condemned police brutality during the Gen-Z-led protests in 2024, and the Azimio-led anti-government protests which claimed many lives and left families in mourning.

“We agreed to stop the demos after our foreign friends intervened, but we demanded compensation for the families of those maimed and killed,” he reiterated. 

He also expressed concern about ongoing abductions and unlawful treatment of political leaders, comparing the situation to Kenya's colonial past, and called for an immediate end to such injustices.

At the same time, he called for for the quick establishment of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), emphasising the importance of timely by-elections and a transparent process for resolving unresolved electoral disputes.