ODM-UDA cracks: Oburu tells President Ruto to discipline his 'disrespectful' people

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Dr. Oburu Oginga on Friday picked up from where the party’s Central Management Committee left Thursday, when it demanded respect from its broad-based government partners, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

Dr. Oburu, who spoke in Kisumu County after a meeting with a section of clergy from the region, told President William Ruto to crack the whip on his disrespectful members.

“I’m in good relationship with the President, but he should discipline and talk to some of these high officials of his party,” he said.

The ODM party chief dismissed reports that the party had put a freeze on talks between its officials and the UDA party.

“We cannot stop what has not started. Our negotiations with UDA have not started. We have not even formed the negotiating teams to put breaks on them,” Dr. Oburu noted.

And while his members continue to haggle over the zoning question, the Siaya Senator told UDA to keep off ODM strongholds.

“We don’t want to compete with people whom we are going into partnership with called UDA. They are the only ones we don’t want to interfere,” he said.

The sentiments by Dr. Oburu come a few days after the UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar kicked up a storm tearing into ODM Deputy Party Leader and Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir, saying he did not deserve a second term in office, which was seemingly part of ODM’s Central Management Committee meeting on Thursday.

Omar, on May 7, 2026, said: “Tutakuwa na mjadala na chama cha ODM…lakini mjadala ambao hatutakuwa nao ni kumpa Abdulswamad tikiti ya kurudi tena kama gavana wa hapa Mombasa. Kwa wa chama chochote, kwa msingi yoyote, Abdulswamad must go!”

The UDA Secretary General, at the same function, then led other government honchos to fire at Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Ali Joho, who is said to be angling for the Deputy President position.

“Hatuna chuki na mtu, lakini sisi hatuwezi kuwa serikali tunamwondoa profesa kama Deputy President mtendakazi na kumpa mwapulani kwa sababu anafanana na sisi. Hiyo haiwezekani,” he sai.

Senate Speaker Amason Kingiadded: “Kila chama kina enzi yake, hapa Pwani kuna enzi chama cha ODM kilivuma sana, lakini enzi ile imepita.”

The disquiet extends to the Nyanza region, with the said disrespect drawing out ODM Chairperson Gladys Wanga and National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed.

The party is reportedly jittery about claims that some top government operatives from the region were propping and financing candidates against the sitting ODM leaders.

Wanga, who is also the Homa Bay Governor, said: “Before anything else, we will defend the party, we will defend our people, we will defend our areas…we will make sure that our Parliamentary strength is not reduced even by an inch.”

Suna East MP June, speaking during the recent ODM Special National Delegates Convention, said: “Mkileta mchezo, sisi pia tutaleta presidential candidate, watu wakutane kwa kiwanja.”