BONDO, Kenya – In a moment soaked in symbolism and raw political emotion, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, Siaya Governor James Orengo, and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino stood before the final resting place of opposition icon Raila Odinga on Saturday, not merely to pay respects—but to summon thunder.
Hours ahead of Sunday’s mega rally in Kisumu, the self-styled Linda Mwananchi faction of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) made a solemn pilgrimage to Kang’o Ka Jaramogi in Bondo, Siaya county. The visit came immediately after a charged rally in Shamakhoho, Vihiga, as the team crisscrosses the country to consolidate support ahead of the 2027 General Election.
But this was no routine campaign stop. It was an invocation.
“Before we take the stage, we seek the blessings of our elders and the spirit of the revolution,” Orengo declared, his voice carrying the weight of a man who once stood beside both Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and Raila in the trenches of Kenya’s multiparty struggle.
The entourage, which styles itself as the true torchbearer of ODM’s founding principles, is locked in a fierce succession war with rival faction Linda Ground. The fractures began weeks before Raila’s sudden death from cardiac arrest on October 15, 2025, exacerbated by his controversial alliance with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
Yet, on Saturday, politics paused for ritual.
‘I Have Things to Say’
Standing by the grave, Sifuna cut a pensive figure. “I went to see my boss in Bondo ahead of tomorrow’s rally in Kisumu,” he said cryptically. “I have things to say.”
He did not elaborate. But political watchers read between the lines: the senator is preparing to draw a line in the sand, possibly declaring outright which faction speaks for Raila’s ghost—and which has lost its way.
Despite warnings from some local residents, including claims of hired goons planning to disrupt the Kisumu rally, the leaders remained defiant. Their message? The struggle continues, with or without permission.
Orengo Crowned Acting Party Leader
In a parallel political earthquake, the Linda Mwananchi group has endorsed Orengo as acting ODM party leader, arguing that Raila’s elder brother, Oburu Odinga, is ill-equipped to steer the party through its most turbulent chapter.
“The foundation is solid. The mission is clear,” Orengo asserted. “I will ensure the party remains active, focused, and functional—no matter the storm.”
For thousands of ODM loyalists in Nyanza and beyond, Sunday’s Kisumu rally is not just another political meeting. It is a referendum on legacy, loyalty, and who truly inherits the Luo nation’s political throne.
The question hanging in the humid Bondo air as Sifuna, Orengo, and Owino walked away from the grave was as old as Kenyan politics itself: Are they seeking blessings—or burying rivals?