Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga has stirred fresh trouble in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) by claiming the government secretly funds the ongoing ODM Linda Ground rallies, aiming to steer the party toward backing President William Ruto in the 2027 elections.
She jumped into the fray after ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna said on television that party headquarters aren’t paying for these big public meetings.
Sifuna told Citizen TV on Tuesday that no money has left official ODM accounts since November last year. The last real expenditure, he added, went to celebrations in Mombasa – nothing close to what’s pouring into these events now.
Ruth, sister to former party leader Raila Odinga, backed Sifuna hard on social media. She called out critics hitting him as spineless, then fired off questions everyone seems to dodge.
Who’s footing the bill for helicopters, massive tents, and all those branded T-shirts and caps handed out? Governors dipping into county cash? MPs pulling from development funds? Or some mystery donor the secretary general knows nothing about?
Her answer came sharp. The government picks up the tab, she said, because direct party funding would mean fewer strings attached. This way, they pick speakers, control the message, and quiet anyone straying from the “Tutaam” support line for Ruto.
She didn’t stop there. Ruth wondered aloud if Ruto would keep any pre-election deal, pointing to the 10-point agreement he signed with Raila last year after Gen-Z protests shook things up. That plan hasn’t moved much, she noted. If he skipped on that, what’s to say he won’t do the same with bigger promises?
These Linda Ground rallies – grassroots-style gatherings pushed by a pro-broad-based government wing in ODM – draw huge crowds in orange gear. But the costs stand out, especially with the party carrying a reported Sh12 billion debt and waiting on government funds that never arrive.
Meanwhile, ODM pushed back against retired President Uhuru Kenyatta. A letter from executive director Oduor Ong’wen to the Registrar of Political Parties called recent Azimio coalition tweaks null and void.
Uhuru, as council chairman, made changes without looping in all partners, including consulting Oburu Oginga as required. The party wants those moves frozen.
The current back-and-forth exposes cracks in ODM. One side leans into cooperation with Ruto’s administration. Another, voiced by Sifuna and now Ruth, pushes caution and accountability.
The rallies go on, crowds pack in under those big tents, but now everyone wonders who’s really paying and what they expect back. No response yet from State House or the rally organisers. As 2027 nears, though, these claims stick around. In Kenyan politics, money trails often lead to the biggest stories. This one feels far from over.
