Tension is slowly rising within the Orange Democratic Movement as quiet family disagreements begin turning into open debate about the party’s future.
What was once a private matter within the Odinga household is now being felt across ODM, with members and supporters starting to question who should guide the party through its next political chapter.
The issue is not only about party leadership but also about influence, legacy, and the direction ODM should take as Kenya’s politics continue to shift.
Reports indicate that disagreements have been growing inside the Odinga family, mainly involving Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga and the relatives of the late Raila Odinga. These concerns had been kept away from the public eye for some time, but they have now started to surface. According to sources close to the family, many members are uncomfortable with the idea of Oburu taking a central role in shaping ODM’s future.
They feel he may not be the right person to carry the party’s legacy forward. It is said that earlier comments by Winnie Odinga captured feelings shared by several people within the family, making it clear that the succession question is deeper than it first appeared.
There is also increasing talk about Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o being seen as a more suitable and strategic figure to guide ODM in the coming years. Some insiders believe he has the political weight, experience, and national appeal needed to keep the party stable and relevant.
These divisions did not start recently. They are part of long-standing succession issues that Raila Odinga managed to control during his lifetime. Without his presence, the differences that were once contained have started to show again, bringing the family’s internal struggles into the public sphere.
A Siaya MP confirmed that rivalry between the two sides of the Odinga family has existed for years. According to him, Raila played a key role in managing the tensions and preventing them from affecting the party. With him gone, however, the disagreements are gaining new life and are beginning to influence ODM’s internal conversations.
This was evident on November 18 when Oburu, while speaking in Rongo, complained that some people were unfairly targeting him even though he had never expressed interest in leading the party.
Many interpreted his remarks as a direct response to the growing succession debate.His absence from recent condolence visits to the Odinga home in Opoda has added more speculation. Leaders such as Kalonzo Musyoka and former Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo have visited, yet Oburu was missing from these moments. This has raised fresh questions about his position and the level of unity within the family.
At the same time, attention is now turning to Jaoko Oburu, the senator’s eldest son. His recent meetings with organised groups across the Nyanza region have sparked talk about whether younger members of the Odinga family are preparing to step into bigger political roles. His presence in these gatherings suggests that the succession debate may soon involve a new generation, making the internal politics of ODM even more complex as the party looks ahead to its future.
