Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai has sparked debate within the Orange Democratic Movement after publicly calling on the party to urgently begin grooming a new leader to take over whenever veteran party chairman Oburu Odinga is unable to actively steer party affairs.
In a strongly worded statement shared online, Alai warned that the current demands placed on Dr. Oburu could negatively affect his health and well-being, especially due to constant travel and political engagements.
“ODM must urgently start the process of looking for a stand-in Party Leader to replace Dr. Oburu whenever he’d not be able to personally lead party activities,” Alai stated.
The outspoken MCA further argued that senior ODM officials risk exhausting the veteran leader by subjecting him to frequent helicopter travel and intense political schedules despite his advanced age.
“The top ODM leadership will kill Dr. Oburu by demanding that he fly in choppers all the time, affecting his well-being, and even not live his age,” he added.
Alai also cautioned that the party could face a leadership crisis in future if succession planning is ignored, saying ODM should begin grooming a new generation of leaders immediately.
“New party leader must be groomed now or we fold the party and find new vehicle,” he said.
The remarks are likely to trigger fresh conversations within ODM over the future direction of the party and its long-term leadership structure as Kenya’s political landscape continues to shift ahead of the 2027 General Election.
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