Ruth Odinga, the sister of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, has revealed that people took advantage of her brother to mislead Kenyans into thinking they had received Raila’s endorsement.
Speaking in an interview with a local media station, Ruth expressed that Raila’s caring heart was used against him by politicians who had their own selfish interests.
Further, she noted that Raila’s continental activities, particularly when he was the African Union High Representative for Infrastructure Development, were also taken advantage of, as the former PM would not be around to handle these matters directly.
According to Ruth, her brother, who was the party leader of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), would not want such people to feel hurt, and as such, would let them have their way.
“What Kenyans and members of ODM should know is that there were some people around Raila who took advantage of his caring heart and would declare that he had endorsed them,” she noted.
“Raila had focus inside and outside Kenya. And because he did not want these people to feel hurt, they would have their way,” Ruth added.
Her comments came as a succession battle looms over who will lead ODM and the Luo community after Raila’s demise.
Leaders from the Luo Nyanza and the greater ODM party have come out with contrasting reports over what Raila’s final wishes were. On one side, among Raila’s final wishes was for ODM to remain in the broad-based government and potentially work with President William Ruto in the upcoming 2027 elections.
On the other hand, ODM is meant to front a presidential candidate and challenge for the presidency, as per the former PM’s final wishes.
Ruth criticised the basis of the broad-based government, where she hit out at ODM-allied leaders drumming up support for Ruto in 2027. According to the Kisumu Woman Representative, the broad-based partnership was only meant to steady the ship until 2027.
“You can not, as a member of the ODM party in the broad-based government, start shouting ‘Tutam.’ What would be your negotiating edge post-2027 polls? Our focus right now should be on strengthening the party,” she expressed.
After Raila’s passing, his brother and Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga was named the acting party leader, with plans underway to formally install him as the official party leader.
