Winnie Odinga sparks ODM power struggle after Raila's death

Kenya’s political theatre has rarely lacked drama, but the weeks following the death of Raila Odinga have produced a spectacle few anticipated. In the vacuum left by the departure of one of the country’s most formidable political figures, a new and forceful presence has emerged from within his own bloodline.

Winnie Odinga has stepped forward not as a reluctant inheritor of legacy, but as a determined political actor, confronting grief, factionalism and ambition with an audacity that has electrified the national conversation.

Rather than retreat into mourning, Winnie has entered the political arena with unmistakable intent. Her interventions have been bold, sometimes abrasive, and consistently headline-grabbing. In doing so, she has signalled that the Odinga legacy will not simply be preserved by nostalgia or ritual, but contested, defended and possibly redefined by one of Raila’s own.

Known within political circles for her headstrong disposition, Winnie has never been one to take the safest path. She has repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to pursue her convictions despite resistance, including from within her own family. That instinct, long familiar to those who know the Odingas well, has now been thrust into the national spotlight.

As the dust settles after Raila’s burial, it is increasingly clear that Winnie is not merely poised to inherit a political mantle. She appears intent on reshaping it, asserting her own brand of engagement while ensuring the Odinga name remains central to Kenya’s political future.

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The dynasty Raila built over decades now stands at a precarious crossroads. It is an empire wrestling with fragmentation, reminiscent of a Tower of Babel, where competing voices, ambitions and loyalties threaten to pull it apart. How it emerges from this moment remains an open and deeply consequential question.

At the heart of the turbulence is a family bound by blood but divided over direction. Beneath the public tributes and solemn ceremonies lies a fierce struggle over who steers Raila’s political ship, and towards which horizon. History suggests that such scrambles, if left unchecked, are often what undo great political houses.

Complicating matters further is Oketch Salah, a politician who has publicly described himself as Raila’s adopted son. His recent claims about private conversations allegedly held with Raila in his final days have baffled both the family and the party, injecting confusion into an already volatile moment.

If the dead could observe the living, Raila might well be smiling at the disorder. He thrived in political storms and believed deeply in ideological contestation. Yet there is little doubt he would take quiet satisfaction in seeing one of his own forging an independent path, attempting to rescue his legacy from erosion by greed, personal ambition and external manipulation.

Family faultlines

Winnie is battling for space in a crowded field dominated by seasoned politicians, entrenched factions and clashing interpretations of her father’s final wishes.

She has openly challenged the authority of her uncle, Oburu Odinga, questioned the Orange Democratic Movement’s flirtation with talks involving President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance, and dismissed Salah’s claims with barely concealed irritation.

The family planned a meeting for Sunday January 31, at the Kango Ka Jaramogi homestead in an attempt to project unity. The meeting, convened by Oburu, is meant to calm tensions and chart a collective path forward. Yet few doubt that the divisions run far deeper than a single family sitting.

Behind the scenes, suspicion simmers over control of wealth, political constituencies and the future of ODM itself. These tensions are an open secret, whispered in corridors and amplified online.

As Oburu struggles to steady the party, Winnie has arrived as a disruptive force. Behind her stands a cohort of youthful ODM activists and a loyal following from her father’s political base. Like Raila, she is articulate, fearless and politically instinctive. Within ODM, she has become one of the few voices willing to publicly defend those marked for political exile.

In recent days, Winnie has dominated conversations across party structures and social media alike. Her emergence has turned her into a lightning rod in Kenya’s political landscape as she challenges decisions she believes betray ODM’s founding principles.

In a recent interview on local television, Winnie dismissed talk of family feuds, arguing that disagreement should not be confused with division. “There is no family feud, as many would like to suggest. Family matters will be addressed within the family. Party issues are not discussed at home,” she said.

She also played down speculation of rivalry with her brother, Raila Junior, particularly over Kibra politics. “He is my big brother. We are fine. Kibra is home. We have been there for over 40 years,” she said, insisting her motivation is service, not entitlement.

Winnie defended Oburu’s role as acting party leader, describing him as a stabilising figure during a turbulent transition. “I think Dr Oburu Oginga is a wonderful acting party leader. This is not an easy ship to steady, but he is weathering the storm,” she said, noting that his role was clearly transitional.

Yet she was unsparing in her criticism of the party’s direction. “ODM has not fulfilled its mandate openly,” Winnie argued. “People are not respecting the party constitution.”

She revealed that her political engagement has been shaped by the circumstances of her father’s death. “I am sitting here three months after my father died, having had to suspend my mourning,” she said. “What is happening to the people is not right. Where the people are, that is where the Odingas will be.”

On her final conversations with Raila, Winnie remained guarded. “They were deeply personal,” she said. “Not every conversation is for public consumption.” She added that speculation about his last moments was disrespectful.

Her restraint contrasts sharply with Salah’s public posture. He has travelled across Kondele, Nairobi and beyond, recounting what he claims Raila told him about ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, relations with UDA and the party’s future.

Winnie has dismissed Salah’s assertions as baseless, even suggesting that authorities should investigate him. In response, Salah has doubled down, insisting his account is authentic.

In a post on X, Salah claimed that he stood by everything he said about his last moments with Raila.