Are these images from the ODM rally at Kirembe Grounds on May 31, 2026? 

By Nancy Oseur

A Facebook post alleges that “10 million people attended the ODM rally at Kirembe Grounds in Kisumu” on May 31, 2026. Attached to the post are images allegedly backing these claims. 

The claim was shared by Facebook user Samuel Mwangi, whose profile largely features political commentary and content related to Kenyan political parties and leaders, suggesting that the post was circulated within a politically engaged audience. The post attracted significant engagement, garnering 245 reactions and 99 comments, thereby amplifying the claim across the platform.

Background

As Kenya moves closer to the 2027 General Election, political parties have intensified grassroots mobilization efforts aimed at strengthening support bases and increasing visibility across the country.

On May 31, 2026, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) held a major rally at Kirembe Grounds in Kisumu under the leadership of Oburu Oginga. The event was intended to foster party unity and consolidate support ahead of the upcoming elections.

The rally brought together several senior ODM leaders, including Gladys Wanga, Simba Arati, and Abdulswamad Nassir. Their attendance highlighted the importance of the gathering, which formed part of ODM’s nationwide “Linda Ground” campaign activities.

Given Kisumu’s long-standing reputation as an ODM stronghold, a large turnout was expected. However, alongside the excitement surrounding the event, an online claim emerged alleging that 10 million people had attended the rally. This quickly sparked debate due to the venue’s physical limitations and the city’s demographic realities.

Verification

To verify the claim, Piga Firimbi reviewed photographs and videos shared by Nairobi Women Representative Esther Passaris, Homabay County Governor  Gladys Wanga, and ODM party leader Oburu Odinga. These posts provided authentic visual records of the gathering at Kirembe Grounds and served as a basis for comparison with the images circulating online. 

A review of the original photographs reveals several features that are either altered or missing in the image used to support the claim. In the authentic images, trees surrounding the venue are clearly visible, and the boundaries of the crowd are clear. 

The images allow viewers to identify the surrounding environment and observe the distribution of attendees across the grounds. Individual groups of people and spaces between sections of the crowd can also be seen.

However, in the circulated image, some of the visible landmarks seen in the original photos, particularly trees and open spaces, are obscured and absent. The area highlighted in green further raises questions about its authenticity. In the photograph shared online, the crowd appears to extend uninterrupted to the horizon, with no visible trees, vegetation, or other landmarks separating the gathering from the skyline. The crowd seems to merge directly into the horizon beneath the clouds, creating the impression that attendees occupy nearly the entire visible landscape. 

The crowd also appears much denser, making it difficult to distinguish individual attendees or identify the natural spacing visible in the authentic images. The areas highlighted by the arrows show a densely packed crowd from the foreground to the horizon, with very few visible gaps between the individuals. 

The photographs claimed that 10 million people attended the ODM rally. We examined whether the reported attendance figure suggested by the photographs was supported by credible sources. No official statement from ODM, event organizers, government agencies, or reputable media outlets reported an attendance figure of 10 million people.

The claim also raises concerns when considered against population realities. According to the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census, Kisumu County had a population of slightly over 1.1 million people. An attendance of 10 million would therefore be several times larger than the county’s entire population, making the claim highly improbable.

Verdict

Claims that these are images from the ODM rally at Kirembe Grounds on May 31, 2026, are FALSE.