Mumias East MP Peter Salasya has advised Winnie Odinga to work closely with ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna to protect the party from disintegration, warning that internal divisions could lead to Kenya becoming a one-party state.

In a statement posted on his X account on Sunday, January 18, 2026, Salasya reacted to Winnie’s remarks at Kamukunji grounds in Kibra, where she accused some party leaders of rushing to take control of ODM following her father, Raila Odinga’s death.

“My prayer to Winnie is to stick with Sifuna because he is now the bonafide owner of ODM and signatory of billions of ODM from the registrar of political parties,” Salasya stated.

ODM wrangles

The MP recalled his opposition to ODM joining the broad-based government, saying his instincts had been vindicated by the mistrust now evident within the party.

“I was so bitter when ODM joined broadbased because my spirit was against the plan hadi nikachapwa kama mburukenge pale Nyayo stadium, sasa ona no one trusts each other on the table of negotiations and so who is the main beneficiary in this splinter group,” Salasya said.

Salasya warned that attempts to take control of ODM would be costly, with multiple factions laying claim to the party.

“I foresee it’s going to be too expensive to buy ODM because everybody is claiming his or her share,” the MP said.

Salasya argued that a weakened or compromised ODM would undermine Kenya’s democratic balance.

“The split of ODM will be so important to the general public because if not we shall enter into a one party state,” he stated.

“I pray ODM to split completely so that we get genuine leaders who will be independent and speak independently without fear of contradiction but not to be turned into cows of ODM that will be singing tutam from Monday to Monday,” Salasya added.

Winnie at Kamkunji

The MP’s statement came in response to Winnie Odinga’s emotional address at Kamukunji grounds in Kibra on Sunday, January 18, 2026, where she likened ODM to a bus whose driver had suddenly been lost.

“On this journey, we were passengers, and Baba was the driver. One day, we woke up and were shocked. The driver had died. He had passed away,” Winnie told supporters.

She accused some party members of rushing to grab control in the aftermath of her father’s death.

“Slowly, some people moved to the front, grabbed the steering wheel, and pulled it in different directions. They pushed us, the passengers, to the back. They forgot that Baba died only yesterday. Why the rush? Stop the bus. Let us talk. Let us decide together and move forward,” she added.

Winnie suggested that not all those who claimed to support her father were genuine.

“We see that not everyone among us who believed in Baba was genuine. Some were just using him,” she stated.

She invoked the late musician E-Sir’s song “Hamnitishi” (You don’t intimidate me) to send a message to those she accused of trying to control the party.

“Vitisho vya peni mbili vitanifanya mimi nini. Hamnitishi! Hamnibabaishi (Threats of two pennies will do what to me? You don’t intimidate me! You don’t scare me),” Winnie said amid cheers.

Winnie also criticised those claiming to speak on behalf of her late father, urging patience ahead of the party’s National Delegates Congress.

“Those who are saying Baba said this or that are not well-mannered,” she said.

“We want to go to the NDC, and there, things will be hot. As the lastborn, when you see things go wrong, lazima uchome. I have come kuchoma (you must burn. I have come to burn),” she added, drawing loud applause.