The centre of operations for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) in Nairobi has quietly shifted from the party’s long-standing offices at Capitol Hill to a private residence on Riverside Drive, signalling a notable adjustment in how the party is currently managing its affairs.
According to party insiders, ODM Party Leader Oburu Odinga is no longer conducting party business from the Capitol Hill premises, which for many years served as the political command centre of former party leader Raila Odinga.
For more than a decade, the Capitol Hill office functioned as the hub of ODM’s political operations, hosting strategy meetings, consultations with party officials, and key deliberations involving senior leaders. However, sources indicate that the offices are currently closed, with access reportedly restricted by members of the Odinga family.
Party sources claim that Winnie Odinga, Raila’s daughter, has directed that the premises remain secured and inaccessible to party officials.
It is also reported that Raila Odinga purchased the building that houses the Capitol Hill offices, giving the family ownership and control of the property. As a result, the ODM party is said to no longer have operational access to the location, which had long been viewed as the symbolic seat of the party leadership.
Separately, sources indicate that Oburu Odinga has also not been using facilities belonging to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation (JOOF) for party-related activities. The foundation’s gardens, which were recently refurbished to host gatherings of up to 100 people, had previously been used for several ODM meetings and events during Raila’s leadership.
The property associated with the foundation was originally part of land owned by Kenya Railways Corporation and had been leased to the Odinga family for several decades. Sources now suggest that the land has since been acquired by Raila Odinga, placing it under family ownership.