What Winnie Odinga said at ODM SDC
Politics
By
Ronald Kipruto
| Mar 27, 2026
East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) member Winnie Odinga has called for reforms in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), saying the party must return to its founding values.
Speaking on Friday, March 27, 2026, Winnie, also the daughter of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga said ODM should become more inclusive and responsive to its members. East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) member Winnie Odinga. [David Gichuru, Standard]
Winnie, who made an entrance nearly three hours after the meeting had begun, said ODM must create space for young people and embrace reconciliation, warning that some members are feeling left behind.
“I feel as a party we may be leaving some of our members behind,” she said, as a rival faction led by Edwin Sifuna held a parallel meeting hundreds of kilometers away.
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Winnie said her recent interactions within ODM showed the need for a more open and inclusive structure. “When we talk about a new ODM that we envision, we want a party that opens doors and not closes them, we want a leadership that listens to our concerns and acts on our ideas.”
She also urged greater youth participation in decision-making, saying young people should not only be mobilised during campaigns.
“We want to be involved, and our voices shape decisions and negotiations. We want a centralised power to empower our branches and grassroots.”
The EALA legislator further called for recognition of victims of recent protests in the country, saying their experiences should not be ignored.
“We cannot overlook that reality. We want a new ODM that cares about all the struggles we have gone through. We must create space for these people instead of only calling them when we want them to shout,” she said.
East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) member Winnie Odinga. [David Gichuru, Standard]