EALA MP Winnie Odinga has said she is ready to come back home to Kenya and serve in whatever capacity the people want, stressing her loyalty to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and her commitment to youth representation.

Speaking during a night-time interview on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, Winnie referred to her statement at the burial of her father, Raila Odinga, in Bondo.

“When called upon, I serve the country. I am serving at a regional level, but my heart always belongs in Kenya. Kenya owns my heart. And I would like to be back home with the people,” she said.

Winnie has also denied reports that she was requesting a position from President William Ruto during her father’s burial when she said she wanted to come back home.

“I wasn’t asking for anything. I was telling him. But I would love to come back home,” she said.

She explained that her role would depend on public demand.

“If the people tell me they want me to be a local politician, perhaps an MCA, that is what I’ll do. If they tell me to work in different capacities, or go back to EALA, that is what I’ll do,” she said.

Odinga also raised concerns about young Kenyans being excluded from political spaces.

“Wherever young people have space, I am there. There are those who say one-term, those who say two-term, and I say young people are no-term because they never get a term to do anything in this country. Until that space is opened for more young Kenyans, I am ready to stand in the gap,” she said.

ODM belongs to people

On ODM, Odinga dismissed claims that new parties can instruct her party on its direction. She said ODM’s 20-year history gives it experience and credibility others cannot match.

“ODM is 20 years old. If a child is born 20 years ago, they are now in university. A party that started two years ago is still in kindergarten. Those are not the ones to tell us where we are,” she said.

She defended the party’s structure, stressing that its members, not a few leaders, hold authority.

Odinga confirmed her loyalty to ODM and her role in representing Kenyans at EALA.

“I am a lifetime member of ODM. I represent the people of Kenya in a regional parliament through my party. That cannot be questioned,” she said.

She also criticised the party for underutilising its organs, particularly the National Delegates Conference (NDC).

“The party relies on only a few organs despite having many. This creates room for confusion and external pressure,” she said.

Speaking about her personal and family life, Odinga said she maintains a close relationship with her brother and mother, Ida Odinga, whose recent appointment as Kenya’s representative to UNEP she praised. She said her mother’s guidance has shaped her, but it does not dictate her decisions.

On Kibera, where she spent time over the weekend, Odinga said she feels at home and has a personal connection to the area.

“Kibera is a place we’ve been going. It’s home. We weren’t shielded from society; we grew up as part of it,” she said.