EALA MP Winnie Odinga has weighed in on the recent shake-up within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), issuing a strong statement defending the party’s values following the ouster of Secretary General Edwin Sifuna.
Winnie Odinga, who attended Sifuna’s Thursday morning press conference, framed the internal wrangles not as personal battles but as a fight over the party’s soul.
In a Facebook post, Odinga invoked the famous words of German pastor Martin Niemöller, who warned of the dangers of remaining silent in the face of injustice.
“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”
She argued that ODM’s internal struggle goes beyond the fortunes of any individual leader.
“Today, this fight in ODM is not about individual leaders, it is about the soul, virtues and values of ODM,” she said.
Odinga recalled her personal experiences with ODM’s late founding leader, Raila Odinga, highlighting the sacrifices made in defense of the party’s ideals. She cited a critical moment during Raila’s swearing-in, when he risked his life at the urging of supporters:
“He did not want any more harm done to his people, but the people told him that they wanted his swearing in. He accepted what the people were saying and he went on that stage because he was prepared to die for his people.”
For Odinga, leadership in ODM is rooted in understanding and honoring the sacrifices of its members.
“If you didn’t put your life on the line for the people when they risked their own lives, then you are not fit to speak on behalf of the people of ODM because you simply don’t understand their sacrifice,” she said.
She stressed that the party is more than a political vehicle or a platform for personal ambition.
“ODM and what Baba fought for is not a joke. It’s not a footnote in history. It is not paying people to wear party colors and chant. ODM believes in its people. It believes in its members and ODM listens to its people.”
Odinga’s statement comes amid a tense period for ODM, with internal debates over leadership and party direction dominating headlines.
By framing the conversation around principle and sacrifice, she positioned herself as a voice calling for respect for the party’s history and ethos, rather than focusing on political maneuvering.
Her remarks signal a growing narrative within ODM: that loyalty to the party’s foundational values, rather than individual ambition, must guide its path forward.