Lawyer Donald Kipkorir has named Winnie Odinga as the only person who can speak with authority about what her late father, Raila Odinga, would have done politically.
In a statement shared on X on Thursday, October 15, Kipkorir argued that loyalty to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) should not automatically be equated with loyalty to the former Prime Minister.
He accused some politicians of using the party to claim loyalty to Raila despite allegedly distancing themselves from him before ODM joined President William Ruto’s broad-based government.
“Winnie Odinga is her father’s daughter. She is the only who can say with authority what Baba would have done,” Kipkorir stated.
The lawyer argued that Raila’s political influence went beyond the party he founded, saying he had moved between political parties depending on his ambitions and political goals.
“Raila Odinga was never a slave to a political party. Baba was ideological not perfunctory! He formed and left political parties at will,” he said.
Kipkorir further questioned the loyalty of politicians who have returned to ODM after previously distancing themselves from the party’s political direction.
He claimed that some governors, senators and MPs had effectively left ODM before it entered the broad-based arrangement but were now presenting themselves as loyal members.
His remarks come as ODM faces questions over its future following Raila’s death on October 15, 2025, and disagreements over the party’s relationship with Ruto ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The party is currently led by Raila’s elder brother, Oburu Oginga, who has defended cooperation with the President. However, some leaders have challenged the direction, with Edwin Sifuna and other figures associated with the Linda Mwananchi movement pushing a different political course.
Winnie has also previously criticised some ODM leaders, accusing them of using her father’s name for personal gain.
In January 2026, she questioned whether everyone in the party had genuinely believed in Raila’s political ideals, according to People Daily.
Kipkorir’s latest statement adds to the debate over who should carry Raila’s political legacy and whether that legacy belongs primarily to ODM or to the wider movement he built during decades in public life.
He urged politicians to stop using Raila’s name to justify their political positions, arguing that loyalty should be demonstrated through actions rather than declarations.
