EALA MP Winnie Odinga/FILEOrange Democratic Movement (ODM) politician Winnie Odinga
has dismissed claims of internal divisions within the party, insisting that
competition and disagreement are normal in a large political organisation and
should not be misinterpreted as a sign of collapse.
Speaking amid heightened political activity within ODM as
leaders position themselves ahead of 2027, Winnie said the party remained
united under its new leader Oburu Oginga and was focused on strengthening its
national footprint rather than managing imagined factions.
“The purpose of a political party is to capture all power,
and I believe ODM must field a candidate everywhere,” she said.
“That is the point of a political party and a democracy. Not
everybody will think the same, people are going to compete and ODM needs to be
competitive, and we are.”
Her remarks come against the backdrop of speculation that
differing views among senior party figures could signal emerging rifts within
the country’s main opposition party.
Winnie, however, argued that diversity of opinion was
inevitable in a party with a massive following and should be viewed as a
strength rather than a weakness.
She emphasised her personal and political loyalty to the ODM
leader, describing Oburu not only as the head of the party but also as a
central figure in her family life.
“The party leader (Oburu Oginga) is my uncle, I love him, he
is the only father I have left,” Winnie said.
“There’s no day I will be in a faction and he is not there.
He is the head of my family, and I am always with him, and that is the faction
I belong to, if there are.”
Winnie dismissed suggestions that ODM was splintering,
urging both supporters and critics to avoid drawing premature conclusions from
internal debates and competitive politics.
“But the party is okay,” she said. “A party with over eight
million registered voters—we are going to have disagreements, but that should
not mean people get excited that ODM is falling apart.”
She credited her late father and former long-serving leader
of the Orange party, Raila Odinga, popularly known as Baba, with building a
resilient political movement capable of withstanding internal contestation
without losing its ideological direction.
“Baba alijenga hii nyumba and nobody is leaving,” Winnie
said.
“He taught us what to do. The only ones who leave are those
who have a problem with what he taught us.”
Her comments underscore ODM’s message that internal
competition does not equate to disunity, as the party continues to position
itself as a dominant force in national politics.
Party insiders say the leadership is keen to project
cohesion while encouraging broad participation, arguing that robust debate is
consistent with democratic practice rather than evidence of fragmentation.
