Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Oburu Oginga has strongly defended the 10-point agenda agreed between President William Ruto and the late Raila Odinga, dismissing critics who claim little progress has been made one year after the agreement was signed.
Speaking during a joint ODM–UDA Parliamentary Group meeting at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Oburu praised the committee overseeing the agenda, led by Agnes Zani, for what he described as significant progress within the first year.
According to him, March 7, 2026, marked the anniversary of the initiative rather than the deadline for the committee’s work.
“Those saying there's nothing done on the 10-point agenda, shame on them because there's a lot that has been done and there's a lot to be done,” Oburu stated.
Infrastructure Highlighted as Major Achievement
Among the achievements he cited was progress in infrastructure development. Oburu praised President Ruto for signing the National Infrastructure Fund Bill, which aims to transform how the country finances large projects.
The fund is designed to shift infrastructure financing toward an investment-led model, attracting private capital instead of relying entirely on government funding.
The initiative will operate as a corporate investment vehicle rather than a traditional government fund.
Oburu noted that similar financing strategies were used by Singapore during its early development years, helping it grow into a highly developed economy.
“I’m very impressed with the agenda for infrastructure. This is the game-changer for the whole world. We are saying we want to go to Canaan through Singapore,” he said.
Clarification on Broad-Based Government
Oburu also clarified that the 10-point agenda was not the foundation of the broad-based government arrangement, but rather a plan meant to strengthen it.
“Broad-based government started before the 10-point agenda came. It cannot depend on the 10-point agenda which was meant to strengthen the broad-based arrangement,” he explained.
ODM Leaders Raise Concerns
Despite his defence of the agenda, the plan has faced criticism from members of ODM’s Linda Mwananchi faction, who questioned why the committee’s mandate was extended by another 60 days.
ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna criticised the move in a statement on X, suggesting that the arrangement risked undermining the legacy of Raila Odinga.
Meanwhile, ODM Deputy Party Leader Godfrey Osotsi also criticised the broad-based arrangement, accusing it of weakening the agreement signed between Ruto and Raila.
Osotsi said the Linda Mwananchi faction would present an independent assessment of the 10-point agenda on March 11, evaluating the progress made so far.
“ODM was founded as a people’s movement committed to democracy, justice and social reform. It would therefore be tragic if its founding ideals were subordinated to the political interests of the regime the reforms were meant to check,” Osotsi stated.
The debate surrounding the 10-point agenda highlights growing political tensions within ODM as leaders assess the progress and future direction of the agreement signed with President Ruto’s administration.
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