BONDO, Kenya — Ida Odinga, widow of the late opposition leader Raila Odinga, made a quiet but poignant appearance on Friday at a key Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) delegates’ meeting held at the family’s rural home in Bondo.

It was her first major public appearance since Raila’s death on October 15, 2025, and it carried deep symbolic weight — a reminder of both continuity and change within Kenya’s most enduring opposition party.

The meeting, convened by Oburu Odinga, Raila’s elder brother and the new acting party leader, drew delegates from across the Nyanza region. Representatives from Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay, and Migori counties gathered under the same roof where Raila’s political journey began decades ago.

A Gathering of Unity

The Bondo meeting, held on October 24, sought to reinforce party unity at a delicate time. Raila’s passing has left a vacuum not only in ODM’s leadership but also in Kenya’s wider political landscape.

Oburu Odinga, who assumed leadership in an acting capacity, is now steering the party through its transition. Party insiders describe the gathering as a “family moment” — both literal and political — aimed at calming uncertainty among members and reaffirming ODM’s role in shaping national discourse.

Ida Odinga’s arrival moments before the meeting began drew hushed respect. Dressed simply, she was seen greeting delegates and family members warmly, embodying a quiet strength that has long characterised her public image.

A Party in Transition

The meeting comes just days before the ODM Central Committee convenes in Nairobi on Monday, October 27, its first major session since Raila’s passing.

According to Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir, who serves on the committee, the agenda will focus on three pressing issues: upcoming by-elections, the party’s 20th anniversary celebrations, and a review of ODM’s 10-point agenda with the government.

“Our first agenda is about the by-elections ahead,” Nassir told reporters on Thursday. “Our rivals hope we’ll scatter, but we must stay united to secure victory.”

He added that the committee will also honour Raila’s legacy during ODM’s anniversary celebrations, coinciding with what would have been his 80th birthday.

“This meeting will be the first chaired by Dr Oburu Odinga as acting party leader,” Nassir said. “After that, we’ll meet with MPs, senators, and governors to find a unified way forward.”

The review of the party’s 10-point plan — an agreement signed with the national government — is expected to test ODM’s influence in shaping policy amid shifting alliances.

Honouring Raila’s Legacy

Friday’s gathering in Bondo was both strategic and sentimental. Delegates spoke quietly about Raila’s decades-long struggle for democracy and social justice — and about the challenge of keeping his movement alive without his voice at the helm.

For many, Ida Odinga’s presence was more than ceremonial. It was a subtle signal of continuity — that even as leadership changes hands, the Odinga family remains central to ODM’s identity.

As one delegate from Homa Bay put it, “Mama Ida being here reminds us that this is still a family bound by shared struggle. The torch has not gone out.”