Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has 'congratulated' President William Ruto, saying the head of state has fulfilled one major campaign promise made to Kenyans.
Speaking during a public address on August 11, 2026, the former Deputy President said Ruto had delivered “100%” on his pledge to politically sideline the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and diminish the influence of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
"There's one promise President William Ruto made to the people of Kenya and he has delivered 100%. Mr. Ruto you promised to permanently retire Raila Odinga to Bondo and finish ODM completely. Congratulations Mr. President, you have succeeded in both," Gachagua said.
The remarks come months after Odinga’s death, an event that drew tributes from leaders across the political divide and triggered a period of national reflection on his decades-long role in Kenyan politics. Since then, ODM has been grappling with leadership transitions, factional disputes, and questions about its relevance in a post-Raila era.
Gachagua, who ran on the same Kenya Kwanza ticket with Ruto in 2022 before their relationship collapsed in 2024, argued that the political terrain has changed dramatically. He said ODM’s grip on Parliament and on regions that were once considered its unshakable bases has weakened, creating space for new alignments ahead of 2027.
That view appears to be backed by recent data. A TIFA survey released on Friday, July 24, 2026, showed a sharp decline in support for both ODM and UDA compared to their post-election peaks. More telling for ODM was the internal split captured in the poll.
The faction associated with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and branded Linda Mwananchi commanded 74 per cent support, while the faction led by party leader Oburu Oginga under the Linda Ground banner had 20 per cent. The numbers suggest a party struggling to speak with one voice at a time when unity would be most valuable.
The mood inside ODM has become increasingly tense. One legislator publicly declared that the party is “politically dead,” accusing its current leadership of abandoning the ideals that built its following.
"To be frank, ODM is dead. A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that a party is just a name. A party is the values you carry, the aspirations, the agenda, the work plans, and the manifesto, and ODM has betrayed all of those,” the MP said.
He went on to claim that the party had turned into a vehicle for personal enrichment rather than a platform for advancing the interests of ordinary Kenyans.
ODM was born out of the 2005 constitutional referendum and grew around prominent figures including Raila Odinga, Anyang’ Nyong’o and James Orengo. For nearly two decades it dominated Nyanza, had deep roots in Western and the Coast, and presented itself as a national alternative. That dominance is now being tested by new political formations, and by the absence of the figure who had been its central mobilizer.
In response, the party’s current leadership has shifted tone. Instead of the old strategy of contesting everywhere, ODM is now pushing for what it calls “political zoning.” The proposal is that parties should respect each other’s established strongholds and avoid fielding competitive candidates there.
Party Leader Oburu Oginga has been the most vocal proponent. Speaking on Sunday, August 2, he argued that regions with sitting ODM governors, MPs and MCAs should automatically be recognized as ODM zones.
"Some people say we don't want zoning. If you don't want zoning, what do you want? We want zoning because Homa Bay is our zone. We don't want UDA in Homa Bay," Oburu said.
He added, "We start with our areas where we have strongholds, where we have our governors, where we have our MPs, where we have our MCAs. Those are our zones automatically without negotiation."
The idea has drawn criticism from within and outside ODM. Critics say zoning contradicts the party’s history as a national movement that once sought to break regional barriers. Others argue it is a defensive tactic meant to preserve what remains of the party’s base as UDA and new regional parties make inroads.
Political analysts say the next year will be decisive for ODM. Without Raila Odinga to hold factions together and to campaign nationally, the party must decide whether to rebrand, reconcile its internal camps, or risk further erosion. The zoning debate, they note, is both a recognition of weakness and an attempt to slow the bleeding.
At the same time, UDA and emerging parties are already positioning themselves to fill the vacuum, especially in Nyanza and Western where voter turnout and loyalty will be critical in 2027.
Whether ODM can reinvent itself without its founding figure, or whether it will cede ground to rivals under the banner of zoning, is a question that will shape the next election cycle.
Gachagua was speaking during his “Ruto at Four” address, a forum he used to assess the President’s performance since taking office.
The Former DP accused the administration of failing Kenyans terribly on it's pre-election promises, burdening salaried workers through statutory deductions and making changes to public finance management while relying on toxic borrowing without accountability.
