Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka on Wednesday night challenged comments by Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Dr. Oburu Oginga about the party’s stance on the Deputy President slot in pre‑coalition talks with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
Speaking in an interview on Citizen TV, Onyonka said the ODM leadership was sending mixed signals that undermined the party’s credibility.
Onyonka’s remarks came after Dr. Oburu publicly denied that ODM is pursuing the deputy presidency as part of negotiations with UDA, instead insisting the party is focused on strategic power sharing and national interest.
Dr. Oburu sought to reassure Deputy President Kithure Kindiki that ODM was not targeting his office, framing the discussion as broader coalition planning rather than a contest for a specific position.
However, Onyonka said the denial appeared contrived.
“When the party leader talked about we want power and he said they are looking for the vice presidency, somebody must have called from State House, maybe, and said ‘what the hell did you say?’ Then he backtracked,” the senator said during the broadcast.
He accused ODM’s leadership of carefully managing the narrative to avoid political fallout, even if it meant distancing themselves from earlier assertions that the party expected significant representation in government.
“They are managing this narrative beautifully,” Onyonka said, adding that some principles that ODM founder Raila Odinga championed seem to be fading in internal conversations.
“There are some things, even in his death Raila may not mean anything to these people,” Onyonka said, referring to the late political stature of Raila Odinga. “There are certain basic minimums that Raila stood for. I respect Oburu incredibly, but he looks like he is talking or doing things on behalf of somebody.”
Onyonka’s comments reflect growing tension within ODM and among allied leaders over how to approach coalition talks with UDA ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The debate centres on whether the party should be explicit in its demands — including the deputy presidency or other senior government positions — or prioritise broader power‑sharing arrangements.