Kisumu County Woman Representative Ruth Odinga has responded to claims that she is disrespectful to her elder brother, Oburu Oginga, who currently serves as the Party Leader of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
In her address at the installation of Dr. Oburu as an elder of the Lager Kawuor clan in Sakwa on Sunday, March 22, Ruth went after individuals she described as “dishonest brokers” muzzling dissenting voices within the Orange Party.
Her remarks came after a politician from the Nyanza region called her out for questioning the funding of the ‘Linda Ground’ public rallies —a series of high-octane ODM events that have reportedly cost millions at a time when the National Treasury is yet to release political party funds.
For instance, Nyakach lawmaker Aduma Owuor had previously stated during a funeral in Siaya: “Ruth should respect her elder brother. Dr. Oburu cannot be saying this, and you, as a younger sister, say something else.”
Ruth, however, dismissed the claims, stating that having different political ideologies does not equal family discord.
“Dr. Oburu is my elder brother, politics aside. And he is here. If you ask him, he will tell you that I have never disrespected him. While we are a political family, there are family issues that should never be used to drive a political agenda,” Ruth clarified.
Notably, Ruth and Aduma are considered frontrunners in the race to succeed Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o, who is set to exit the stage next year after serving for two terms as the county boss.
“I want to run for Kisumu governorship, yes,” Ruth stated in a separate interview, “but how stable is my party? I do not have an alternative party. That is why my immediate interest is to have one strong and united ODM first, then we can have that conversation on who is its flag bearer.”
Ruth Odinga on ODM-UDA Deal
The fiery legislator has maintained a firm stance on the imminent deal between ODM and President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
According to Ruth Odinga, ODM should not rush into joining the Kenya Kwanza government.
She has also raised questions over the mysterious funding for the Linda Ground campaigns across the country.
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She argues that the party needed to first address internal and policy commitments before pursuing an alliance with the UDA.
“It is very premature for ODM to have that pact. We really need to get our house in order,” Ruth stated during an interview earlier this year in February.
She also opposed the ouster of the embattled party Secretary General Edwin Sifuna.
The ‘Waya’ of the Homestead
Invoking Luo traditions, Ruth defined her intervention not through the lens of modern politics, but through her customary status as a daughter of the home.
In Luo culture, the Waya (paternal aunt) holds a sacred, neutral position in family disputes.
“As you are all aware, as an aunt, I am not entitled to land or whatever else brothers could feud over. That is why I can be trusted with the duty of ensuring that the Raila and Dr. Oburu families get what belongs to them,” she told the gathered clan elders and residents.
Beyond family ties, the Bondo declaration carries heavy political weight. The Lager Kawuor clan officially endorsed Dr. Oburu to transition from his perceived acting role to the substantive ODM Party Leader at the upcoming National Delegates Conference (NDC) scheduled for Friday, March 27, in Nairobi.
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Despite her reputation as a fiercely independent politician who has occasionally broken ranks with her brothers on strategy, Ruth Odinga was unequivocal in her support for Oburu’s leadership.
“We cannot have a situation where every time someone has a different opinion on an issue, the first line of defense from people we disagree with is pulling the ‘rebel’ tag,” she noted, emphasizing that her support for her brother is a conscious political choice rather than blind loyalty.
