NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 23 – ODM party leader and Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga has convened a family meeting scheduled for the first of next month.
Oburu is widely recognised as the patriarch of the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga family, serving as the overall cultural leader following the death of his younger brother, former Prime Minister and ODM founder Raila Odinga, in October 2025.
Raila Odinga Jr, who was appointed spokesperson for a branch of the family, confirmed the development but said he would have preferred the crucial meeting to be held sooner.
However, he distanced himself from the ongoing political maneuvering within the Orange Democratic Movement.
“I’m not a politician. I love everyone and respect everyone. My uncle has agreed to a family meeting on the 1st. I would like it sooner. I don’t know what is happening—musiniingishe kwa hizo siasa,” Raila Odinga Jr said.
The planned meeting comes amid signs that Oburu and his niece, EALA MP Winnie Odinga, are pulling in different directions over the future of ODM ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Oburu and his allies have resolved to pursue pre-election coalition talks with President William Ruto, while Winnie’s faction insists the 20-year-old party should exit the broad-based government and field its own presidential candidate.
The two factions held separate meetings last week in Kibra, highlighting the growing internal divisions.
Speaking during a rally on Sunday, Winnie Odinga and Raila Odinga Jr criticised a section of ODM leaders, accusing them of advancing personal interests and deliberately sidelining the legacy of their father, who was widely regarded as a veteran opposition leader.
Winnie and her allies said their group is focused on strengthening grassroots mobilisation and safeguarding the party’s founding ideals amid intensifying internal debate.
“Nobody will be removed from ODM. There is no day that former Prime Minister Raila Odinga told anyone to leave the party. They say we are questioning too many things in the party, and when we do so, they tell us to leave. If we leave, who will they remain with?” she said.
She maintained that ODM is not owned by a few individuals but by its supporters across the country.
“This party belongs to the people,” Winnie added.
Oburu, Raila’s elder brother, has said ODM will pursue future political alliances from a position of strength and “enter government through the front door” rather than through informal arrangements.
While Oburu has dismissed internal disputes as “side shows” and insists he has the grassroots mandate to steer the party, signs of strain persist—particularly in Western Kenya and parts of Nairobi, where rival camps have become increasingly vocal over the party’s leadership and direction.
