As the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) marks two decades since its formation this November, few know the story of the woman who helped plant its roots Jane Wangui.
Now serving as the County Chief Officer for Markets and Trade, Wangui stands as one of the unsung architects behind Kenya’s most influential opposition party. Her journey from the slums of Dandora to the corridors of political history is defined by grit, conviction, and a dream to give a voice to the voiceless.
“I grew up seeing inequality all around me —poor roads, lack of food, education, and health services. That drove me to want to bring change through governance,” Wangui recalls.
In 2005, driven by youthful zeal and guided by a vision for justice and equality, Wangui joined hands with lawyer Mugambi Imanyara to register a new political movement the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). Her mission was simple yet bold: to create a platform for ordinary Kenyans, especially the young and marginalized, to participate in leadership.
“I gave birth to a new political force, and Raila gave it life soon reshaping Kenya’s political landscape,” she says. Wangui was not only a founding member but also became ODM’s first Secretary General.
As the 2005 constitutional referendum divided the nation into the “Orange” and “Banana” camps, Raila Odinga, already a political heavyweight, sought to align his movement with the emerging Orange wave.
“One evening, an acquaintance called and told me he was outside my door and wanted to see me only for me to find H.E. Raila Odinga waiting outside my house in a car. When I got to the car, he told me that I had something he needed the ODM Party,” Wangui recounts.
Recognizing Raila’s reformist spirit, Wangui agreed to hand over the party’s leadership to him. She stepped down as Secretary General to allow Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o to take over and was appointed Secretary for Special Programmes in the party’s National Executive Council.
“Raila saw potential in me that no one else had seen. He was my destiny helper. Two months ago, while having lunch, Baba told me that he was proud of me and kept on steering my mind to 2027. Who would have thought that a young woman from Dandora could have been used by God to birth the greatest political party in East and Central Africa?
I’ve never betrayed Baba. Today, I can walk with my head high because even when it became politically costly to be associated with him owing to the fact that I come from Mt. Kenya I remain proud to be associated with him day and night. To me, he is the greatest man to have walked on Kenyan soil, and everything he has done up to this point is for the posterity of this great nation,” she says with emotion.
Baba appointed her as his Youth Affairs Advisor when he was the Prime Minister a role that cemented her influence within the movement. Despite unsuccessful attempts to clinch the Embakasi North parliamentary seat in 2017 and 2022, she remains deeply loyal to ODM’s ideals.
“Baba taught me and the ODM family the true meaning of loyalty, faithfulness, and fidelity to a cause and to always stand for something, even if I’m left standing alone. If you want to call it a cult, say it but to me, I believe in Baba so much that kama Baba amesoma katiba, sisi kama jamii ya ODM tumesoma. Baba is a movement, even beyond death.”
For Wangui, the upcoming ODM@20 Anniversary in Mombasa is not just a political event but a personal milestone.
“This celebration reflects my journey from Dandora to national leadership. ODM shaped my life and gave me a voice and a purpose. It represents growth for me and for Kenya. Everyone who had the privilege to meet Baba and interact with him can attest that he made you feel heard and that you mattered. For me as a woman, he created spaces for me at the table because he believed in me. I am what I am today because of H.E. Raila Odinga.”
The three-day event will double as a tribute to Raila Odinga, who passed away on October 15. The celebrations will feature a National Governing Council sitting, youth and women’s summits, and a major rally at Mama Ngina Waterfront, culminating in a thanksgiving service.
President William Ruto one of ODM’s early founders is among the invited guests, alongside former President Uhuru Kenyatta, Kalonzo Musyoka, and Julia Ojiambo. His presence is expected to spark fresh political conversation, especially amid growing speculation about ODM’s future leadership.
“ODM was born out of the struggle for justice and equality. H.E. Raila Odinga’s passing is deeply personal to me he was my father, my mentor, and my friend. He has left behind many foot soldiers like myself who will continue his mission to impact our generation and those to come because his spirit lives on in us. As for me, I just wish he could come back even for a day because he had a way of telling me that things would be alright.”
