Winnie and Raila Jr Step Into ODM Succession Battle, Back Youth Leaders and Defend Party Legacy Amid Internal Power Struggle

The succession battle in Kenya’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) intensified on Sunday. Winnie Odinga and her brother Raila Odinga Jr publicly entered the dispute. They warned against efforts to sideline dissenting voices. Their focus was on younger party leaders pushing for change. Their intervention comes after the death of ODM founder Raila Odinga. It signals a more active role in shaping the party’s future.

Speaking at a rally in Nairobi’s Kibra constituency, the siblings accused some party officials of targeting youth leaders. They named Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino. They said such moves threaten ODM’s democratic values and legacy.

In her first major political appearance in Kibra since her father’s passing, Winnie addressed a packed crowd at Kamukunji grounds. She promised to stay loyal to ODM. She dismissed claims that some leaders were pushing others out. “We will not leave this party that we fought for,” she said. “We paid the price for this movement when it mattered.”

She accused unnamed figures of exploiting the period after Raila Odinga’s death to advance personal interests. She called them opportunists. She insisted ODM cannot be reduced to personal or commercial gains. “You cannot copy and paste Baba,” she said. “ODM cannot be sold or hijacked.”

Raila Odinga Jr supported his sister’s statements. He stressed that freedom of expression must be protected within the party. “Kila mtu ana uhuru wa kuzungumza,” he said. He added that ODM must allow internal debate.

Winnie also backed the youth faction linked to Sifuna and Babu Owino. She relayed greetings from their mother, Ida Odinga, to ODM supporters. She announced plans to raise concerns at the party’s National Delegates Conference (NDC). She said she would challenge sycophancy and misrepresentation of her father’s positions. “Baba spoke openly to Kenyans. Claims that he left us in government are misleading,” she said. “ODM does not need praise singers.”

Earlier, the siblings attended a thanksgiving service at ACK Holy Trinity Church. Winnie said she plans to hold consultative forums across the country. She aims to engage ODM supporters and shape the party’s direction amid ongoing internal disputes.