Pauline Njoroge has come out strongly to refute accusations that former President Uhuru Kenyatta is responsible for rising internal rifts within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
In a statement issued on Monday, December 29, Njoroge said the attacks on Kenyatta stem from unease over his enduring popularity, particularly the positive reception he received in traditionally ODM-supporting areas, including during the funeral of Raila Odinga.
According to Njoroge, rather than addressing their own internal challenges, some ODM leaders have chosen to deflect blame by pointing fingers at the former president.
She maintained that the real source of tension within the party lies in divergent positions on engagement with the current administration. Njoroge explained that while some ODM figures are comfortable aligning themselves with the broad-based government arrangement, a growing section of younger leaders strongly opposes cooperation with the regime and prefers a different political direction.
“This internal disconnect is what is tearing the party apart, not any external influence,” she argued.
Njoroge also dismissed suggestions that Kenyatta is attempting to destabilise the party, noting that he is not seeking elective office and therefore has no incentive to interfere in ODM’s internal affairs.
She described the former president as a respected statesman with widespread public goodwill, insisting that portraying him as a political saboteur amounts to deliberate propaganda rather than an honest assessment of the situation.
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Her remarks come shortly after she publicly declared her intention to run for an elective county-level seat in Nairobi during the 2027 general election.
Speaking in an interview on Tuesday, December 23, Njoroge said she would contest a county position in the capital, though she indicated that details of the specific seat would be announced at a later date.
She criticised Nairobi’s current leadership for lacking a clear, people-centred development plan, arguing that existing strategies have failed to deliver meaningful improvements for residents.
Njoroge said her decision to enter the race is driven by a desire to champion a new approach to governance in the city, one that prioritises service delivery and tangible outcomes, adding that she wants to be part of a team capable of turning that vision into reality.