The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has confirmed that it is preparing to formally exit the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition, marking a potentially major shift in Kenya’s opposition politics ahead of the 2027 General Election.
While the party has not yet completed the legal withdrawal process, ODM leader Oburu Oginga has made it clear that the decision has already been made internally.
“We left it a long time ago; it is only a formality that we have not performed, which we are going to perform very soon. We are going to exit that moribund organisation called Azimio. We are going to move out,” he said during a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Mombasa.
So how exactly does ODM plan to exit and why now?
Why ODM wants out
At the heart of the dispute are recent leadership changes within Azimio.
A meeting convened by former President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka as the new Azimio coalition leader. ODM has rejected that decision, arguing it was made without consulting the coalition’s largest party.
Oburu insisted that ODM’s approval is mandatory for any binding coalition decision.
“There is nobody who can make decisions in Azimio without the concurrence of ODM, and you cannot pretend to appoint a new leader of Azimio, excluding and bypassing this party. If ODM has not agreed, then there is nothing like a resolution of Azimio.”
ODM has also taken issue with changes in the coalition’s secretariat, accusing Uhuru of interfering in coalition affairs.
The legal and political process
Although Oburu says ODM has “effectively” left Azimio, the formal exit requires procedural steps, including official communication and compliance with coalition agreements registered with the Registrar of Political Parties.
This is the “formality” Oburu referenced.
Until those steps are completed, ODM technically remains part of the coalition — even as it distances itself politically.
Internal divisions complicate the exit
ODM’s planned withdrawal has exposed internal differences within the party.
Earlier this month, Secretary General Edwin Sifuna publicly maintained that ODM was still part of Azimio and aligned with its leadership structure.
That position appeared at odds with Oburu’s declaration, prompting the party leader to express frustration over mixed messaging.
“I am very disappointed. Sometimes we just come here, we agree, and then when we go out, they start contradicting our position,” Oburu said.
The tensions reflect a broader debate within ODM about its future direction — whether to remain in opposition, strengthen ties within the broad-based government arrangement, or reposition as an independent force ahead of 2027.
ODM’s strategy going forward
Oburu indicated that the party is not rushing into new alliances, but instead focusing on internal strengthening before negotiating its next political move.
“We are not in a hurry to say one term. We are strengthening our party to prepare ourselves for negotiations. First, we start with our current partners, and as we move on, if we don’t agree, we go it alone as ODM.”
This suggests ODM could either negotiate new terms within existing partnerships or contest independently if talks collapse.
What this means for Azimio and 2027
ODM is widely regarded as the backbone of the Azimio coalition. Its exit would significantly weaken the coalition’s parliamentary and grassroots strength.
The development also challenges former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s recent efforts to reorganize the opposition bloc under new leadership.
If ODM formally walks away, Kenya’s opposition landscape could fragment further — or realign entirely — before the next general election.
For now, ODM has not completed the paperwork. But politically, the party has made its intentions unmistakably clear: it is preparing to move on.
