Dr. Oburu Odinga (Instagram Photo)
Oburu Odinga is no longer the Energy Committee chairperson. That position is now with the Elgeyo Marakwet Senator, William Kisang. Odinga announced during a senate committee meeting yesterday that he had chosen to resign from that chair position.
The elder brother to the late ODM leader Raila Odinga also added a pointer. He said that the factors causing his resignation were beyond his control.
Nevertheless, the octogenarian was quick to caution that nobody should say he was removed from the position.
Oburu Odinga’s Energy Chair Position Began in 2025
Oburu Odinga became the chairperson of the Senate energy committee in February 2025. This happened at a time when the Parliament and Senate were purging members allied to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Hence, Odinga took up the position taken from the senator for Nyeri, Wahome Wamatinga. More pro-Gachagua members were ejected from their committee positions at the time.
They included Senator Karûngo Thang’wa, who was the Roads and Transport Committee Chair. Another one was Senator James Mûrango of Kîrînyaga, then chair of the Agriculture Committee.
There was also Senator John Methû of Nyandarûa, then Environment and Natural Resources Committee Chair.
Another Senator, Joe Nyûtû, then a member of the Education Committee, was also ejected.
Oburu Odinga Lets Go: Is that a Loss to ODM?
The chairmanship of the Energy Committee is not only a prestigious position, but one of significant national influence. Being in the energy committee is significantly impactful too, especially considering the massive investments the committee’s oversight role covers.
Yet Edwin Sifuna who sat in the Energy Committee as an ODM member recently lost his seat courtesy of politics. Granted, Sifuna’s replacement, Moses Kajwang, is an ODM member, but that does not mean everything necessarily remained the same.
For instance, it is apparent how important it is to have committee members who have no qualms questioning controversial deals. And the energy sector cannot be said to be short of controversies.
Currently, Senator Oburu Odinga leads the ODM faction that is allied to President Ruto’s government. Meanwhile, Sifuna leads the rival ODM faction, Linda Mwananchi, which is opposed to the current government.
Of late, the popularity of Sifuna and the Linda Mwananchi movement seems to have soared nationally. This continuing development may have upset rival members, making them seek ways to weaken him.
Hence, it may have catalyzed his removal from the energy committee. In contrast, it is hard to speculate the reason for Oburu’s predicament. Why has his exit come specifically at this time?
From the look of things, it is unlikely Oburu suspected he would leave his Energy Committee chairmanship two months ago. In short, he may not have guessed it when his Linda Ground ODM faction engineered the removal of Senator Sifuna.
At the time, he may just have reveled at the support his members received from UDA. Now, the coveted position he held until Tuesday has gone to a UDA member.
What Next for Linda Ground?
President Ruto’s political party is UDA, hence it is the party of the current regime. Yet in recent times it appears to have gained unreserved support from Linda Ground, the Oburu-led faction. Now, it remains to be seen how that faction is going to take the loss of the energy committee chairmanship.
Meanwhile, interested Kenyans might be wondering:
Is the resignation of Oburu Odinga a double loss for ODM? Is it a loss to Linda Ground? Or is it a loss to neither of them? Indisputably, it is a gain to UDA, as the Committee deputy chair, William Kisang, takes up the reins.
Kisang won the 2023 by-election, which became necessary when Kipchumba Murkomen resigned to become a Cabinet Secretary.