The simmering succession battle within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has taken a deeply personal turn, with divisions inside the Odinga family now playing out in public and threatening to reshape the future of the party.
At the heart of the dispute is the question ODM has struggled to answer after Raila’s death of who steps into the vacuum he left and the authority that once unified both the party and his family behind a single political vision?
The cracks are now visible. On one side stands Oburu Odinga, Raila’s elder brother, who was appointed to act as ODM party leader in Raila’s absence. Oburu has taken a firm institutional approach, presiding over party meetings and asserting control over ODM’s internal structures.
Opposing him is a faction backed by Winnie Odinga who is Raila’s daughter, alongside her aunt Ruth Odinga. Their loyalty lies with the embattled Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, whom they insist remains the legitimate holder of the office despite attempts to push him out.
The divisions became impossible to ignore when Oburu chaired a meeting that resolved to remove Sifuna from his role as Secretary General. Almost immediately, Winnie appeared publicly alongside Sifuna, directly contradicting the decision and declaring that he was still lawfully in office. ODM no longer speaks with one voice and even the Odinga name no longer guarantees unity.
Ruth Odinga has emerged as one of the most vocal figures in the standoff. She has openly warned ODM Members of Parliament against entering into any political arrangement with the ruling party, framing such moves as a betrayal of the party’s ideals. Her stand aligns closely with Sifuna’s camp, which has positioned itself as the guardian of ODM’s opposition identity.
Hovering over the dispute is Ida Odinga, Raila’s wife and the family matriarch. Her influence is widely acknowledged especially following her nomination by William Ruto as Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The timing of the nomination raised eyebrows. Sifuna’s allies, including Winnie, have repeatedly accused President Ruto of engineering divisions within ODM. Ida’s appointment, coming amid those accusations, has only deepen and fueled speculation about shifting alliances.
The unfolding drama ultimately reveals that ODM and the Odinga’s family is adjusting to a new political reality. Raila Odinga’s once unquestioned authority kept internal rivalries in check. Today, no single figure commands that level of loyalty or control. The succession question remains unresolved and the Odinga family’s private disagreements may shape Kenya’s public politics.
