Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga has sharply responded to Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi following remarks she says questioned the role and legacy of the Odinga family within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
The exchange stems from an ODM retreat held in Mombasa on May 4, which brought together party organs and senior officials serving in government.
Ruth says she attended the meeting in support of party unity, but left concerned by comments made during discussions.
She claims Mbadi told delegates that ODM does not belong to any family and suggested that former party leader Raila Odinga was no longer politically relevant.
Ruth described the remarks as a direct personal attack, noting she was the only member of the Odinga family present at the retreat, while Party Leader Dr. Oburu Oginga was absent.
Ruth, however, was quick to clarify her respect for Oburu, calling him a steady figure in the family and party. She said his long experience and trust in colleagues sometimes exposes him to political manipulation.
She maintained that ODM’s history cannot be separated from the influence of Raila Odinga, arguing that the party’s growth was driven by public support for his political agenda and reform politics.
Ruth also revisited her personal history, citing years spent in exile after the 1982 coup attempt. She said she lived in Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and later Norway due to political pressure linked to her family name.
She added that even travel back to Kenya was often difficult, alleging heightened scrutiny at entry points because of her identity.
Ruth further recalled that Raila Odinga once joined her in Norway during a period of heightened political tension in the early 1990s, after his release from detention. She said such moments reflected sacrifice rather than privilege.
On ODM politics, she warned against what she described as growing internal divisions, saying some leaders were using state positions to weaken others within the party.
She urged restraint in how discussions around the Odinga name are handled, insisting it should not be turned into a political target.
She also linked the tensions to wider competition for influence within ODM, suggesting that some leaders were under pressure to prove loyalty through political positioning.
Ruth pointed to her own political path, saying she has had to make sacrifices over the years, including stepping aside or adjusting ambitions due to party considerations and her brother’s national political role.
Despite the dispute, she reaffirmed her commitment to ODM unity and said she remains focused on engaging voters in Kisumu ahead of future elections.
She concluded that the sacrifices associated with the Odinga family should not be reduced to political convenience, arguing that Kenya’s democratic space was shaped by struggles that continue to define the country’s political landscape.