Cracks widen in Odinga’s family
Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga has firmly rejected any suggestions of a feud between Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga and East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) Member of Parliament Winnie Odinga.
During her remarks on Wednesday, January 21, Ruth, who is Oburu’s older sister and Winnie’s aunt, labeled these claims as completely untrue. She emphasized that this narrative seems to be aimed at creating discord within the larger Odinga family.
“I am wondering who the Odingas and the Ogingas are, because what I know is that all of us are all children of Oginga, our father was called Oginga, who was the son of Odinga,” Ruth said.
“Raila and Oburu are all the sons of Oginga, and we are all the grandchildren of Odinga. The Ogingas versus the Odingas are created by people to cause a rift between us,” she added.
In a recent interview, the Kisumu legislator emphasized that the Odinga family has been living in harmony since the passing of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga last October.
She pointed out that differing political views between Oburu, the leader of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), and Winnie don’t indicate any sort of rift between them.
“A difference in opinion among the party’s elders and the younger members doesn’t automatically mean there’s a divide. Everyone is entitled to their own perspective,” Ruth stated confidently.
At the same time, she pushed back against suggestions for a family meeting to address the supposed stalemate, labeling those calls as mere talk without substance.
Ruth attributed the current tensions within ODM to what she called a greed for money and a hasty approach to decision-making, revealing that some members are even looking to sell out the party.
Her comments come amid reports of rising tensions within ODM, particularly within the Odinga family, over what some see as disagreements regarding the party’s leadership style.
Winnie recently took a stand against the leadership of the ODM party, expressing her frustration over the way her father’s name is being used for personal gain instead of honoring his true ideals. She remarked, “You can’t just copy-paste Baba.”
During her remarks on Sunday, January 18, Winnie seemed to point fingers at Oburu, suggesting that he has been making self-serving choices and ignoring the voices that challenge the party’s political direction.
Cracks widen in Odinga’s family
