Inside Winnie Odinga-Oburu Oginga's feud

Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga and EALA MP Winnie Odinga. [File, Standard] The family of the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga has moved to dispel reports of a rift between Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga and EALA MP Winnie Odinga, saying claims of division are driven by social media speculation and do not reflect the true state of the family. Speaking as the face of the family, the late Raila Odinga's younger brother, Isaac Omondi, said there is no conflict and insisted the family has remained united since the death of their patriarch, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. "There is no crack. We are united, and we have been united since Jaramogi left us. We are talking in one language under the umbrella of Oburu," said Omondi. He dismissed claims of rivalry between Oburu and Winnie as exaggerated and taken out of context. "Winnie is playing her political game, but people are taking it out of context. There are no conflicts between Winnie and Oburu," he added. However, at the weekend, Winnie appeared to attack her uncle and questioned his leadership during a rally in Kibra. She off some senior ODM Party leaders whom she accused of seeking to wreck the party that was built by her late father former Prime Minister Raila Odinga even as she called for a National Delegates Conference. Winnie who has been conspicuously missing in ODM Party event sin the recent past accompanied by her brother Raila Odinga Junior made a triumphant entry into the Kamukunji grounds in Kibra Constituency for a youth engagement programme. Winnie and Raila Junior have been conspicuously missing in several ODM high profile meeting attended by their Uncle Oburu with the last one in the same venue held last week being a case in point which has raised questions on whether they were opposed to the way he has been running party affairs. However, yesterday, their other uncle downplayed the rift. Omondi further said that if any concerns exist within the family, mechanisms established by Jaramogi himself remain in place to address them. "If there is a problem that Winnie feels there is, then we have mechanisms as a family that Jaramogi put in place," he said, adding that Raila's will and legacy must be respected. "Our family remains united," Omondi said. During the same meeting, elders from the Kawuor clan, in a statement issued by William Ojonyo, called for unity, restraint, and respect, particularly towards Oburu as the eldest son of Jaramogi. Ojonyo said the clan, Sakwa community, and the nation remain in a sombre mood following the death of former Prime Minister, and thanked Kenyans, especially the ODM fraternity and its broad-based partners for standing with the family during the mourning period. The elders expressed concern over a recent public altercation involving Winnie in the company of his brother Raila Junior, urging that such incidents should not be repeated. "This gate is open for internal discourse, but these matters must be handled with decorum and within the family," Ojonyo said, calling on younger family members to uphold cultural values that emphasise respect for elders. The elders reaffirmed their confidence in Oburu's leadership of ODM, saying he is capable and equal to the task, and urged the public to disregard narratives suggesting otherwise. On the remembrance of the late Jaramogi, Ojonyo said a brief commemoration was held, with more elaborate celebrations and activities to be announced later. "Oburu is currently out of the country on official duty and will join the family during the main celebrations," he said.

Inside Winnie Odinga-Oburu Oginga's feud

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