Nearly two decades after they stormed the national stage as the formidable “Pentagon” under the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), three of its surviving members — President William Ruto, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and former Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala — are set for a grand reunion that will include other party founders

The re-union, dubbed “ODM Founders’ Dinner”, is widely seen as a strategic ploy by President Ruto and the ODM party, currently led by Siaya Senator Dr Oburu Oginga, to forge a 2027 coalition machine. It is slated for Saturday, November 15, in Mombasa.

ODM Youth League patron and Siaya Governor James Orengo (centre) with other ODM leaders at the Party's Youth League Convention in Mombasa on November 14, 2025.

Photo credit: Wachira Mwangi | Nation Media Group

It will be part of the ODM party’s four-day anniversary celebrations, coming barely a month after Odinga’s death on October 15, 2025, with Nyagah having passed on in December 2020.

The ODM Pentagon, an invention of Odinga’s political machine, was a campaign juggernaut that grew out of the 2005 referendum battle.

Odinga, then a Cabinet Minister, led the Orange camp (No side) against then President Mwai Kibaki’s Banana side (Yes side) in full defiance of his boss, rallying a coalition of political heavyweights into what became the most visible opposition formation of the era.

The Orange side triumphed, handing Kibaki a political defeat and setting the stage for Odinga’s second presidential bid in 2007.

To market the ODM as a national movement and counter the perception that it was a Luo-led outfit, Odinga unveiled the “Pentagon,” a star-studded team of five regional kingpins: himself (Nyanza), Dr Ruto (Rift Valley), Mr Mudavadi (Western), the late Joe Nyaga (Mt Kenya) and Najib Balala (Coast).

Later, Charity Ngilu was roped in to add gender balance and broaden ODM’s national appeal after Kalonzo Musyoka broke ranks with Mr Odinga.

From right: Pentagon members Najib Balala, William Ruto, Raila Odinga, Musa