Atandi extends olive branch to alleged rebel ODM leaders

Alego Usonga Member of Parliament Samuel Atandi has publicly called for reconciliation within the Orange Democratic Movement and the broader Luo community, urging party members he described as having drifted toward rival political formations to return to the fold before the 2027 General Election campaign enters its decisive phase.

Atandi made the overture amid visible fractures within Nyanza's political architecture, where a number of ODM-affiliated politicians have been testing alliances outside Raila Odinga's orbit — some exploring closer ties with Kenya Kwanza and others positioning themselves independently ahead of the next electoral cycle.

"We are not enemies. The Luo community is strongest when it speaks with one voice, and ODM is that voice," Atandi said during a public address in his Siaya County constituency. "Whatever grievances exist, they can be resolved from within."

ODM has historically commanded commanding majorities in Nyanza's eight counties, and the region's bloc vote has been a decisive factor in shaping presidential race outcomes. However, internal tensions — over resource allocation, candidate nominations and the direction of Odinga's political future following his campaigns for the African Union Commission chair — have created space for political entrepreneurs to chip away at party cohesion.

Some analysts watching Nyanza politics note that the 2027 race, particularly if Odinga does not run for president again, could trigger a significant realignment in a region accustomed to voting as a unified bloc.

Atandi, regarded as a loyalist in Odinga's inner circle, framed unity not as a favour to party leadership but as a practical necessity. He warned that fragmentation would dilute Nyanza's bargaining power in any post-election government formation, leaving the community with less leverage regardless of the national outcome.