Political feud between the Wiper Patriotic Front and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has erupted into a full-blown war of words over the health and whereabouts of ODM leader Raila Odinga.
The Wiper Patriotic Front, led by former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, has responded sharply to ODM’s allegations that it spread misinformation regarding Odinga’s health, terming the claims “malicious, reckless, and an act of political desperation.”
In a statement issued on Sunday, October 5, 2025, Wiper Secretary General Senator Shakila Abdalla dismissed ODM’s assertions as “baseless lies designed to deflect attention from ODM’s internal cracks and political decay.”
“Let it be stated clearly: H.E. Kalonzo Musyoka harbors no ill will whatsoever toward Mr. Odinga,” Abdalla declared. “Any suggestion that he wishes harm upon Raila is false, malicious, and utterly irresponsible. ODM’s latest outburst is political theatre – an act of desperation from a once-respected movement that has lost both its moral compass and relevance.”
The controversy was sparked days earlier after Raila Odinga’s spokesperson, Dennis Onyango, issued a statement clarifying that Odinga had traveled out of the country on Friday, October 3, and was not hospitalized or seeking treatment abroad as some bloggers and media outlets had alleged. Onyango accused what he called a “political faction” allied to Rigathi Gachagua, Kalonzo Musyoka, and Eugene Wamalwa of orchestrating “a familiar campaign of misinformation,” including circulating AI-generated reports about Odinga’s health.
Wiper, however, maintained that it had no involvement in the rumors and accused ODM of weaponizing the issue to mask deeper divisions within its ranks.
“ODM’s attempt to drag H.E. Kalonzo Musyoka into its internal confusion is a weak distraction from the cracks splitting the so-called Broad-Based Government they now defend so blindly,” the statement read.
The Wiper Party further accused ODM of betraying its reformist ideals by aligning itself with President William Ruto’s administration, the same government it blamed for economic hardship, repression, and violence against protesters.
“ODM’s hollow moralizing and blame games cannot mask their betrayal of the Kenyan people,” Wiper added. “Their alliance with Ruto’s regime – the same administration responsible for bloodshed and economic ruin – exposes them as co-authors of the nation’s suffering.”
Addressing ODM’s insinuations that Kalonzo Musyoka sabotaged Odinga’s African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship bid, Abdalla clarified that Raila’s defeat was due to “diplomatic blunders and lack of strategic coordination” by the government, not any interference from Musyoka.
“Mr. Odinga’s AUC bid did not fail because of Mr. Musyoka,” she stated. “It was undone by diplomatic mismanagement and credibility issues on the continental stage. To rewrite that history is dishonest.”
Wiper’s statement also accused ODM of losing its reformist edge, saying the once-honored party now “finds comfort in the pits of a regime that butchered young people during the Gen Z protests and continues to silence dissent.”
“No one – absolutely no one – will drag H.E. Kalonzo Musyoka into ODM’s self-inflicted political decay,” Abdalla emphasized. “Kalonzo remains committed to justice, truth, and a Kenya that values life, liberty, and unity.”
ODM has since maintained that Raila Odinga is in good health and abroad on private matters. However, the escalating rhetoric between the two former allies shows a growing rift within the opposition as both parties navigate shifting political alliances ahead of the 2027 elections.
