Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga has dismissed claims of a rift between her and ODM Party Leader Oburu Odinga, maintaining that there is no bad blood between the two siblings amid ongoing internal wrangles within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
In a statement issued on Monday, March 2, Ruth, who doubles up as the party’s Deputy Organising Secretary, clarified that her calls for unity within the party should not be misconstrued as disrespect toward her elder brother.
“Dr. Oburu is the ODM Party Leader and everyone in ODM must respect that. I speak to him regularly as the Party Leader and as my elder brother over a variety of issues. But some people have created a notion that I am battling him. I am an old woman. Where do I get the energy to battle a Youth Leader?” she said in a statement.
According to the woman rep, her open critique of some of the goings-on within the party had been maliciously misconstrued to suggest she was battling Oburu Odinga.
She went on, I have been accused of disrespecting our Party Leader, Dr. Oburu Oginga. How does calling for ‘wantam’ and ‘tutam’ proponents to come together and work as a single voice amount to disrespect? Like I have always said, we must figure out as a party the inclusion of youth voices in party affairs across the party leadership hierarchy.”
Her comments came at the back of a meeting with Kisumu Central Constituency ODM Party delegates and the executives at the sub-county offices in the heart of Kisumu City for an engagement ahead of the county elections coming up later this week.
As far as wrangles within the party, Ruth maintained that her stance remained unchanged as she called for one strong and united ODM party to efficiently negotiate with other political formations before the next polls.
Notably, the Woman Rep boldly called for an end to the rivalling factions within ODM dubbed Linda Ground and Linda Wananchi, insisting that they were counter-productive to the party’s overall objectives.
Within ODM, there is a broader debate over the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and ODM on March 7, 2025.
Defiant figures within ODM including Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna have publicly opposed any extension of the MoU beyond its March 7 due date, arguing that the agreement was deliberately structured without an extension clause.
The MoU, anchored on a 10-point agenda and linked to the recommendations of the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO), was designed to address governance concerns including protection of devolution, safeguarding lives and livelihoods, and stopping killings of young people.
Ruth, who was among leaders within the ODM National Delegates Committee that sought to shield Sifuna from ouster, has consistently pushed for implementation of the NADCO report and the agreed reform agenda.
She argued that a united ODM would be better positioned to negotiate future political alliances and secure favorable terms ahead of the 2027 elections.
