By Anderson Ojwang
Today, political tectonic will unfold and reverberate from the late Raila Amolo Odinga bedroom, Kibra constituency.
This time, it’s his last born daughter, Winnie Madekezia Odinga, named after South African freedom fighter Winnie Mandela, the respected wife of South Africa’s first independent president, the late Nelson Mandela.
Winnie, Raila’s trusted political lieutenant and key ally in his father’s political journey, will today mark her political birth and liberation from the shadows of her father.
Today, in Kibra, Winnie Odinga will be born politically, and Kenya will likely witness the rebirth of Raila Amolo Odinga in his daughter as Winnie begins her journey in her father’s footsteps.
Raila begun his political journey from Langata constituency, today Kibra constituency, in 1992 as the first multi-party elected Langata MP and turned it into his political bedroom.
Today, Winnie, for the first time 92 days after the death of her father—whose body she received in her hands in India and brought home—visits her bedroom.
The Visit
Winnie in a press invite to the media wrote “The Office of Hon Winnie Odinga, EALA MP, respectfully invites your media house to cover her visit to Kibra constituency. Her itinerary will be as below.”
“Events details
Date 18/01/2028
Kibra Makina ACK Church from 10.00 am to 12.00 pm – Thanksgiving church service.
Kamkunji Ground from 3.00 pm to 5.00 pm – Officiate as guest of honor at the opening ceremony of the 2026 sessional assembly of Kamkunji pressure group.”
This is a powerful and pregnant engagement at her father’s bedroom loaded with political undertones.
Oburu in Kibra
On Wednesday, the ODM party leader, Dr Oburu Odinga, took his first ODM-UDA pre-election pact engagement rally to Kibra, saying whenever Raila had an issue to address, he started with his bedroom, Kibra.
But Oburu’s visit to Kibra was chaotic and marked by a false start, confusion, and low turnout.
Confusion and chaos galore
Confusion and chaos visited and built a home at the main podium as Oburu was heard begging to be allowed to address the crowd as MP Tom Kajwang urged him to speak.
Kajwang: “Daktari speak. Sema jambo kwa dakika moja. Daktari. Mos jo piny.”
(Doctor, speak to the people for a minute. Doctor, greet the people.)
In response, Oburu said: “Koro eka adwa wuoyo.”
(It is now that I want to speak.)
“To koro ok miya thuolo mondo alosi?”
(Why don’t you give me the opportunity to speak?)
“Miya uru thuolo mondo alosi, yawa.”
(Kindly give me the opportunity to speak.)
Kajwang tried calming the crowd: “Ongea tu daktari, wuod awuoya.”
(Daktari, just speak.)
In the chaos and confusion, Oburu requested again: “Koro wena uru mondo alosi.”
(Now allow me to speak.)
He began: “Wanainchi wa Kibra, hamjambo? ODM…” but was drowned in noise and added, “Ok owena thuolo mondo alosi… miya uru thuolo mondo alosi, yawa.”
(Kindly grant me the opportunity to speak, my people.)
As the crowd continued to push and pull, Kajwang called one of Oburu’s security aides, Ken Adhu, saying “Adhu pang uru joma nitie tok daktari go.”
(Adhu, kindly handle the people behind Dr Oburu.)
Oburu took the microphone again: “Apenjie aye uru mondo koro alosi.”
(I ask you to move so that I can speak.)
“Wanainchi wa Kibra, munanisikiza. Leo ni leo.”
“Nimeanza na Kibra kwa sababu nilipoteza ndugu yangu na rafiki yangu ambaye alikuwa party leader wangu.”
(I started my rallies in Kibra because I lost my brother and party leader.)
Switching to Dholuo, he said: “Jodalawa pod ayuago Raila. Ok ungeyo ni pod ayuago Raila. Ema omiyo aduogo e bedroom mar Raila mondo ayuage kaye, ema achake bura.”
(My people, I am still mourning Raila. That is why I have begun my rallies from Raila’s bedroom.)
Oburu–Winnie tiff
Oburu and his niece Winnie are reading from different political scripts, with the latter demanding that a new team be appointed through an NDC to manage the coalition with President William Ruto.
During the November ODM celebrations in Mombasa, Winnie said:
“When it came to the matter of the broad-based government, the people of ODM entrusted one person with the management of that relationship, and that person was Baba Raila Amolo Odinga.
That relationship is complicated. Those who have taken it upon themselves to manage it now—are they capable?
That is not for me to answer. It is for the people of ODM to answer. That is why we need to go back to the people through an NDC to decide who should manage that relationship.”
Recently, Oburu said:
“Those who say Oburu is not validly elected, I challenge them. If it is an NDC they want, I will call it very soon.”
He added:
“Those who say Oburu does not talk are talking nonsense. In this broad-based arrangement, all meetings between Raila and Ruto were chaired by Oburu Odinga.”
On cabinet appointments, Oburu said:
“I chaired the meeting that appointed Opiyo Wandayi, John Mbadi, and Hassan Joho to the Cabinet.
We also negotiated 14 permanent secretary positions. We entered this government by accident after it was shaken by Gen Z.”
