Ruth Odinga was lucky to go to exile -Robert Alai
By Francis Muli, May 10, 2026Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai launched a sharp attack on Ruth Odinga, accusing members of the Odinga family of benefiting from a political legacy that many ordinary supporters suffered to defend.
In a statement on Sunday, May 10, 2026, Alai claimed Ruth Odinga had been “lucky” to go into exile during the Moi era, arguing that the experience exposed her to opportunities and wealth while many opposition supporters remained trapped in poverty or lost their lives.
“Ruth Odinga was lucky to go to exile and ride on the Odinga name to get wealth and exposure,” Alai stated.
“There are those who were killed or condemned into perpetual poverty because they associated with the Odinga.”
The Nairobi MCA also linked decades of underdevelopment in Luo Nyanza to prolonged opposition politics, claiming the region paid a heavy economic price for its political alignment.
“Malaria, TB and HIV-AIDS became the biggest employer in Nyanza because of the politics of opposition. Schools like Maseno couldn’t get development budget because of opposition politics,” he said.
“She needs to remember that she is very very lucky.”
Alai’s remarks came in response to an explosive statement issued earlier by Ruth Odinga following an ODM retreat held in Mombasa.
In the statement, Ruth accused Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi of attacking the Odinga family during the meeting attended by senior ODM figures and leaders serving in President William Ruto’s administration.
According to Ruth, Mbadi told attendees that ODM does not belong to the Odinga family and that no one should feel entitled because they carry the Odinga name.
She further alleged that Mbadi stated the late Raila Odinga was “dead and buried” and that current party officials had heavily invested in ODM.
Ruth described the remarks as a direct attack on the Odinga family and defended the political sacrifices made by the family over decades.
“The Odinga history is littered with sacrifices, not entitlements,” she said.
She recounted her years in exile after the failed 1982 coup attempt, saying those associated with the Odinga name faced state harassment, political persecution and restrictions on movement.
“Because of the Odinga name I carry, I lived the experience and it is not something you would wish for your worst enemy,” she stated.
Ruth also recalled hosting Raila Odinga in Norway after his release from detention in the early 1990s, describing it as part of the sacrifices the family made during Kenya’s struggle for multiparty democracy.
The Kisumu politician accused some ODM leaders of attempting to devalue the Odinga political legacy for personal political gain and cabinet positions within the current government.
“It is easier to inherit the party or anything else Raila Odinga left behind, but you have to earn the support of his followers,” she said.
The exchange between Alai and Ruth now lays bare deepening divisions within ODM as the party grapples with succession questions, internal factionalism and its political identity in the post-Raila era.
The dispute also reflects growing tensions between leaders backing cooperation with President Ruto’s administration and those pushing to preserve ODM’s traditional opposition identity.