EALA MP Winnie Odinga has dismissed reports of a family fallout within the Odinga household, following public differences between her and ODM party leader Oburu Odinga over the party’s future ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV on Tuesday night, Winnie said her disagreement with Oburu was being misrepresented as a family feud, insisting it was a normal political divergence within a democratic party.
She maintained that ODM remains a political institution where differing opinions should not be mistaken for personal conflict.
“There is no family feud. If there was a family feud, I doubt he would tell me that in public,” Winnie said. “He is a funny guy. Mambo ya nyumbani tunaongea kinyumbani, but mambo ya chama is not to be discussed at home.”
Her remarks came after Oburu, a long-serving ODM figure and elder in the Odinga family, publicly questioned some of Winnie’s views on the direction the party should take as it repositions itself for the 2027 polls.
The exchange sparked speculation about internal family divisions spilling into party politics.
Winnie, however, said Oburu respects her right to hold independent views, arguing that political debate should not be personalised.
She described the ODM leader as supportive and dismissive of claims that their relationship had been strained.
“I believe Dr Oburu would be the first person to defend my right to have different opinions,” she said, adding that the issue had been unnecessarily amplified.
“I love Dr Oburu, he is my only dad. I don’t know why this has become national news.”
She further emphasised that the Odinga family remains united, noting that disagreements on party matters do not translate into domestic conflict.
According to Winnie, ODM’s internal discussions should be viewed as part of healthy political engagement rather than signs of instability.
Her comments come at a time when ODM is navigating internal debates over leadership, alliances, and strategy as the party prepares for the next electoral cycle without its longtime leader Raila Odinga at the helm.