Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) deputy party leader, Senator Godfrey Osotsi, has led a high-level delegation of party legislators to a consultative meeting with officials of Russia’s ruling United Russia Party (URP) in Moscow.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, ODM stated that the bilateral talks, held at the URP headquarters, focused on fostering cooperation between the two political parties and exploring opportunities for strengthening diplomatic relations between the parties.
Senator Osotsi and the ODM delegation were received by Andrey Klimov, a senior member of the URP’s Supreme Council and Deputy Chairperson of the Russian Federal Council’s Committee on Foreign Relations.
Furthermore, the party stated that during the meeting, Senator Osotsi delivered a message of goodwill from ODM Party Leader Raila Odinga to the leadership of the URP.
“During the meeting, they held bilateral talks on cooperation between the two parties and how they can work together in strengthening political party diplomacy. The DPL used the opportunity to present a message of goodwill from the party leader, Raila Odinga, to the leadership of the URP party,” he said.
The meeting was one of the activities on the sidelines of the visit by Kenyan legislators to Russia.
“Members present at the meeting included Hon. Dr Oburu Odinga (a trustee of the party) and Senator Siaya County, Hon. Otiende Amollo (national vice chairman) and MP, Rarieda Constituency, and Paul Matuyia (MCA, Kitengela Ward),” the party revealed.
This comes a few days after Nyaribari Chache Member of Parliament (MP) Zaheer Jhanda criticised members of the ODM party for censuring the government while still maintaining a political partnership.
Speaking at a local TV station on July 13, 2025, the MP stated that ODM should not lecture the state on how it chooses to run its operations, and if they have any objections, they should leave the broad-based government.
“ODM should not threaten or lecture us on how to run the government or on human rights issues. They have never won any elections,” he said on Saturday.
“If they’re uncomfortable in the broad-based government, then leave quickly.”
The legislator further dared the party to ask its ministers to resign from President William Ruto’s cabinet, “and then we shall take you seriously.”
