Treasury Secretary Sparks Political Storm with Attack on Odinga Family Legacy
Kisumu, 10 May 2026
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi ignited fierce controversy by declaring ODM doesn’t belong to the Odinga family during a party retreat on 4 May 2026. Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga fired back, defending her family’s democratic contributions after Mbadi allegedly stated her late brother Raila was ‘dead and buried’ with diminished influence. The explosive exchange reveals deepening fractures within ODM, split between Linda Ground and Linda Mwananchi factions, as political dynasties face fresh scrutiny in Kenya’s evolving democracy.
Mbadi’s Direct Challenge to Odinga Authority
The confrontation escalated during ODM party officials’ retreat in Mombasa, where Mbadi directly challenged Ruth Odinga’s authority within the party structure [1]. According to reports from the retreat, Mbadi accused Ruth Odinga of undermining party leadership, stating: ‘It does not belong to a family. You know we have a party where someone, because she is the sister to the party leader, thinks she can order us around, you cannot’ [1]. The Treasury Cabinet Secretary went further, claiming that without his support and that of others, ‘Raila would not have been the person he was before his demise’ [1].
Ruth Odinga’s Forceful Defence of Family Legacy
Ruth Odinga responded with vigour on Sunday, 10 May 2026, through a statement on her social media pages, characterising Mbadi’s remarks as personal attacks [1]. She emphasised her isolation at the retreat, noting: ‘I say this was a personal attack because I looked around and I was the only Odinga in the room. My brother, the Party Leader Dr. Oburu Oginga, did not attend the three-day retreat’ [1]. The Kisumu Woman Representative took particular exception to Mbadi’s alleged comments that Raila Odinga was ‘dead and buried’ and would have had limited influence even whilst alive [2]. Ruth Odinga countered these assertions by stating: ‘It is not the ODM Party that made Raila Odinga. It is the people of Kenya who made him who he was in life, and even in death, because of what he stood for, and out of that, he and others made the ODM party’ [1].
Historical Context of Odinga Family Sacrifices
Ruth Odinga’s defence draws upon decades of family commitment to Kenya’s democratic struggle, including personal sacrifices that shaped her political trajectory [2]. Following the 1982 abortive coup, carrying the Odinga name affected family members’ relationships, leading Ruth Odinga into exile across Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and Norway [2]. Her political career reflects strategic decisions prioritising family interests over personal ambition, as she shelved her political aspirations during the 2013 and 2017 general elections to protect her brother Raila’s presidential campaigns [2]. These sacrifices underscore her argument that the Odinga family’s contribution to Kenya’s political landscape extends far beyond party ownership claims.
ODM’s Factional Crisis Deepens
The public dispute between Mbadi and Ruth Odinga occurs against the backdrop of intensifying internal ODM wrangles, with the party now clearly split between two distinctive factions: Linda Ground and Linda Mwananchi [1]. Ruth Odinga finds herself amongst members accused of ‘sitting on the fence’, facing mounting pressure to declare factional allegiance as infighting escalates [1]. Her response to Mbadi’s challenge includes a call for institutional intervention, urging ‘the clergy, ODM founders, and trustees to convene and resolve ODM issues’ [2]. The dispute highlights broader questions about political succession and legacy management within Kenya’s democratic framework, as Ruth Odinga maintained: ‘Yes, he is dead and buried, like Mbadi said. But his followers are not dead, nor is his ideology. It is easier to inherit the party or anything else Raila Odinga left behind, but you have to earn the support of his followers, not by coercion and other forms of inducements’ [2].