Kisumu Woman Rep Ruth Odinga has come out strongly to deny claims that she has been disrespecting her elder brother and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader, Oburu Odinga.

In a statement shared on her social media pages on Monday, March 2, 2026, Ruth, who also serves as the ODM organising secretary, dismissed the allegations, saying that anyone claiming she has been disrespecting the self-proclaimed youth leader is an enemy of the party.

She defended her position, asking how calling for a ceasefire between the party’s factions—the Wantam and Tutam groups—and urging them to work together as a single voice could be considered disrespectful. She added that including youth voices, who have become increasingly critical of several party issues, in decision-making should not be seen as undermining the Siaya senator.

“I have been accused of disrespecting our party leader, Dr Oburu Odinga. How does calling for ‘Wantam’ and ‘Tutam’ supporters to come together and work as a single voice amount to disrespect? As I have always said, we must ensure youth voices are included in party affairs across all leadership levels,” she explained.

Ruth further clarified that her calls for order in ODM have been misinterpreted as opposition to her elder brother. She emphasised that she consults Dr Oburu regularly on various issues and that expressing her views, something permissible in a democratic party like ODM, should not be mistaken for conflict.

“Dr Oburu is the ODM Party Leader, and everyone in the party must respect that. I speak to him regularly as both the party leader and my elder brother on a range of issues. Yet some have created the idea that I am fighting him. I am an older woman; where would I find the energy to fight the youth leader?”

“Those claiming I am fighting Dr Oburu are the real enemies of ODM. I always speak my mind because ODM is a democratic party; it doesn’t mean I am fighting anyone,” she said.

Salah’s attack on Ruth

The claims that Ruth is opposing Oburu were first raised by the self-proclaimed adopted son of Raila Odinga, Oketch Salah, who recently warned her to stop “fighting” her brother.