How was ODM born

The ensuing constitutional referendum pitted the YES team, christened ‘Banana’ against the NO team dubbed ‘Orange’. The proponents of the YES team were for the draft constitution which negated the aspirations of the people, basically anti-reform minded people. The NO team (Orange) wanted a constitution that stood for equitable development through devolution, respect for human rights and vibrant democracy.

The NO (Orange) team that spearheaded the defeat of the retrogressive draft constitution in November 2005, evolved into a popular movement that engaged the new establishment with a view to restarting the constitution making process. The Orange team comprised of Messrs Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, Henry Kosgey, William Ruto, Uhuru Kenyatta, Musalia Mudavadi, Najib Balala, Billow Kerrow, Charity Ngilu, William Ole Ntimama, Omingo Magara, Fred Gumo among others. From the clergy we had Rev. Timothy Njoya, Rev. (Dr) David Gitari, Sheikh Juma Ngao among others. The Orange victory at the referendum transformed the movement into a major political party, the Orange Domocratic Movement (ODM) which was captained by Raila Odinga and Mudavadi, Ruto, Balala, Joe Nyagah and Ngilu which formed the PENTAGON.

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