The simmering power struggle within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) escalated on Sunday after Winnie Odinga and her brother, Raila Odinga Jr, publicly weighed in, warning against what they described as attempts to silence or purge dissenting voices within the party.
Speaking during public engagements in Nairobi’s Kibra constituency, the siblings accused a section of ODM leaders of targeting younger party figures, specifically Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, arguing that such actions threaten the party’s democratic foundations.
In her first major political appearance in Kibra since the death of her father, longtime ODM leader Raila Odinga, the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP addressed a charged rally at Kamukunji grounds, where she reaffirmed her loyalty to the party.
“We will not leave this party that we fought for,” Winnie said, dismissing claims that some leaders were being edged out. “We paid the price for this movement when it mattered.”
Accompanied by her elder brother, Winnie accused unnamed individuals of exploiting the period following her father’s death to advance narrow political interests, warning that ODM could not be reduced to personal or commercial agendas.
“You cannot copy and paste Baba,” she said, referring to the late ODM leader. “ODM cannot be sold or hijacked. We asked for time after Baba’s passing, but some people refused to wait.”
Raila Odinga Jr echoed her remarks, insisting that freedom of expression must be protected within the party and rejecting any attempts to expel members for holding divergent views.
“Kila mtu ana uhuru wa kuzungumza,” he said, stressing that ODM must remain tolerant of internal debate.
Winnie openly aligned herself with the faction associated with Sifuna and Babu Owino, stating that both leaders had her backing. She also conveyed greetings from their mother, Ida Odinga, to ODM supporters in Kibra.
The EALA legislator announced plans to raise the matter at the party’s National Delegates Conference (NDC), where she intends to challenge what she described as growing sycophancy and the misrepresentation of her father’s public positions.
“Baba spoke openly to Kenyans. Claims that he left us in government are misleading,” she said. “ODM does not need praise singers.”
Earlier in the day, Winnie and Raila Jr attended a thanksgiving service at ACK Holy Trinity Church before proceeding to Kibra.
She later revealed plans to embark on nationwide consultative forums to gather views from ODM supporters, signalling a more active role in shaping the party’s future as internal contestations continue.