By Obinna TV Studios Editorial Team | October 19, 2025

Raila Odinga’s burial in Kisumu wasn’t just a goodbye; it was a gladiatorial arena for ODM. As dirt settled on Baba’s grave, the vultures circled, turning mourning into a cutthroat quest for the party’s helm.

Enter the frontrunners: Joho, the Mombasa kingpin with coastal cash and swagger, positioning as “Baba’s coastal heir.” His post-burial rally drew 10,000, thumping “ODM must sail on!” But whispers of his Dubai dealings and offshore accounts cast shadows over his logistics empire ambitions.

Then, Opiyo Wandayi, the cerebral MP, leveraging parliamentary clout. “Raila built this house; I’ll fortify it,” he declared at a Nairobi vigil, eyeing alliances with Gen Z activists—a nod to Baba’s youth appeal. His weakness? The streets don’t know him. Policy papers don’t pack stadiums.

Don’t sleep on Aisha Jumwa: fiery, female, and fearless. Post-burial, she stormed Malindi, vowing “ODM for all tribes, not just Luo.” Her gender play challenges the boys’ club, echoing Raila’s inclusivity. Critics call her a political jumper; she reframes it as pragmatism.

Factional fault lines cracked wide: Luo elders back a “pure-blood” successor like Anyang’ Nyong’o, while urban youth push for radical reform. Side deals flew—Joho cozying with Ruto’s camp? Wandayi courting Kalonzo? Jumwa meeting mega-church pastors?

The burial’s unity mirage shattered days later at ODM HQ, where fistfights erupted over chairmanship nominations. Police were called—ultimate humiliation. #ODMChaos trended nationwide.

Raila, ever the strategist, left no will, only a vacuum primed for implosion or transcendence. As Kenya watches, this battle isn’t petty; it’s existential. Will ODM die or be reborn? Baba’s ghost looms, demanding: Fight smart, not savage. Supremacy’s prize? The soul of opposition in one-party Kenya.