EALA MP Winnie Odinga has firmly dismissed claims of a simmering fallout between her and Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga, insisting that her loyalty to the ODM leadership—and to her family—remains unshaken despite recent political tremors.
The clarification comes in the wake of intense speculation sparked by her remarks during the ODM@20 anniversary celebrations, where she appeared to openly question whether the party’s current leadership had the capacity to steer ODM in the post–Raila Odinga era.
Speaking on Saturday, December 13, Winnie poured cold water on talk of factionalism, stressing that she has never clashed with Oburu and has no intention of doing so.
“The party leader is my uncle, and I love him. He’s the only father I have left. There’s no day I’ll be in a faction and he’s not there,” Winnie said.
“He is the head of my family, and I am always with him. That’s the faction I belong to—if there are factions.”
Winnie underscored that Oburu is not only the ODM party leader but also the family patriarch following the death of her father, the late Raila Amolo Odinga, Kenya’s long-time opposition icon. According to her, the bond between leadership and family makes the idea of rebellion both unrealistic and unfounded.
Acknowledging the size and diversity of ODM, Winnie noted that disagreements are inevitable in a party boasting over eight million registered members, but insisted that debate should not be mistaken for disunity.
“We’re together. We’ve had differences of opinion on certain things, but the most important thing is that we stick together and come together,” she said.
“Give us some space so we can build a party that truly covers the width and breadth of Kenya.”
Her remarks were seen as an attempt to steady the party after weeks of internal chatter suggesting cracks within ODM’s top ranks.
The controversy traces back to October’s ODM@20 celebrations in Mombasa, where Winnie delivered a bold address that many interpreted as a direct challenge to Oburu’s leadership.
At the event, she argued that ODM had placed its trust in a single individual—Raila Odinga—to manage the delicate relationship between the party and President William Ruto’s UDA under the broad-based government arrangement. She questioned whether any current leader possessed the same political gravitas and skillset.
“That relationship is complex,” Winnie said then.
“As others step forward to manage it, we must ask: are they truly equipped for the task?”
She called for a National Delegates Conference (NDC), urging party members to democratically decide who should lead ODM into the future.
Senator Oburu Oginga responded swiftly and firmly, defending his credentials and readiness to carry forward his brother’s political legacy.
“I lived with Raila for 80 years. Everywhere he went, I was there. There is no single day I betrayed my brother,” Oburu said.
He emphasized his deep understanding of Raila’s political strategies and insisted that age and proximity had allowed him to internalize the party’s ideological DNA.
While visibly unsettled by Winnie’s public remarks, Oburu said he intended to address the matter privately with his niece, even as he reaffirmed his commitment to lead ODM with the same resolve that defined Raila’s era.
Despite the public exchange, Winnie’s latest comments appear aimed at cooling political temperatures and reaffirming unity within ODM at a critical juncture in Kenya’s political landscape.
Whether her call for an NDC gains traction or fades into the background, one thing is clear: the Odinga family conversation is no longer just a private matter—it is a national political storyline closely watched by allies and rivals alike.
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