Treasury is not personal office, Winnie Odinga warns amid Mbadi’s clash with Odingas
By Mustafa Juma, May 15, 2026The late Raila Odinga’s youngest daughter and East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Winnie Odinga has sharply criticised the tone and conduct of some government leaders, warning that public offices, especially the National Treasury, should not be treated as personal platforms.
This comes amid growing political tension involving Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi and members of the Odinga family, including Ruth Odinga.
Speaking in Kisii County on Friday, May 15, 2026, during the funeral of the mother of Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka, Winnie urged leaders to exercise restraint, respect citizens, and focus on addressing the country’s economic challenges rather than engaging in confrontational rhetoric.
Winnie faulted what she described as a rising culture of political arrogance among leaders, warning that Kenyans are increasingly frustrated by aggressive and dismissive communication from those in authority.
“Viongozi hapa Kenya, sana sana wale wako kwa serikali, hawajui kuongea na watu. Kama wewe ni kiongozi, lazima uongee na watu na heshima. Sio kila saa unakuja mbele yetu unasema ooh, nitakutisha, wewe nitakumaliza, wewe utaniona, nyinyi mtajua…hapana bana. We are also human beings. Sisi wote ni binadamu na ground ndio itasema,” Winnie said.
She stressed that leadership requires humility, respect, and direct engagement with citizens.
Warning over economic hardship
Winnie also turned attention to Kenya’s economic situation, pointing to rising fuel prices, debt levels, unemployment, business closures, and challenges facing farmers due to high input costs.
She said leaders in charge of the economy must focus on solutions rather than political battles.
“Kuna watu wengine, jana niliona yakwamba bei ya mafuta imepanda, juzi nilisikia deni ya Kenya imepita zaidi ya trillioni kumi…..The economy is in bad shape. Vijana hawana kazi, mabiashara kidogo kidogo zimefungwa, wakulima wanahangaika ju ya gharama ya mbolea, na nyinyi hamna focus. You need to talk less and work more. Viongozi wa uchumi need to focus on things that matter in this economy,” she said.
National Treasury Office
In one of her most pointed remarks, Winnie cautioned against politicising key institutions, singling out the National Treasury as a critical institution that must be insulated from political disputes.
“The National Treasury is not a political office. The National Treasury of the Republic of Kenya is not a personal office,” she said.
She added that the institution plays a central role in safeguarding the country’s economic stability.
“The national treasury is not a political office. The national treasury of the Republic of Kenya is not a personal office. The national treasury of the largest economy in East and Central Africa is not a platform for you to abuse us and talk to us wherever you want. That is where we carry our economy. Kazi ya hiyo ofisi ni kulinda thamani ya pesa ya wananchi,” she noted.
Winnie also urged leaders across the political divide to adopt more respectful communication styles and prioritise public service over political confrontation.
“And therefore, as public servants, we need to take a little step in how we treat each other, how we talk to people. We need to pay attention to the people on the ground; we need to listen to them,” she remarked.
Background to rising tensions
Her remarks come amid heightened political exchanges involving Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi and criticism from sections of the Odinga family, including Ruth Odinga, which has triggered wider debate within political circles.
While Winnie did not directly name Mbadi in the statement, her comments are widely interpreted as a response to the ongoing political friction, having come just days after Ruth defended the Odinga family’s political legacy following the remarks made by Mbadi during an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) retreat in Mombasa.
The exchange has drawn attention to emerging internal tensions within the party following discussions held on May 4, 2026.
Ruth Odinga, in a statement shared on Facebook, dated May 10, 2026, responded to comments attributed to Mbadi during the ODM retreat, where the former ODM chairman is reported to have said that the party does not belong to any family and that Raila Odinga was ‘already dead and buried’.
He, according to Ruth, further stated that he and others had invested heavily in the party.
Ruth said she was the only member of the Odinga family present at the retreat, noting that her brother and ODM Party Leader Oburu Oginga did not attend the meeting.
She described Mbadi’s remarks as directed at the Odinga family and the legacy associated with the party’s formation and growth.
Mbadi responds
In response, Mbadi disputed Ruth’s account, saying she had misrepresented his remarks from the retreat.
He stated that the meeting was intended for internal reflection and should have remained private.
“I’m therefore surprised to see my sister Ruth Adhiambo Odinga distort my speech, something which could have entirely remained in-house,” Mbadi said in his statement.
He added that the retreat provided a space for candid discussion and introspection among party leaders.
The video accompanied his clarification, where he maintained that his comments reflected internal party realities and were not intended for public interpretation outside the forum.
In the recorded remarks, Mbadi addressed internal dynamics within ODM following the political transition after former party leader Raila Odinga. He cautioned against internal divisions and referenced members who, in his words, were undecided on the party’s direction.
Mbadi emphasised that ODM was a national party not owned by any community or family.
“This party does not belong to one community… It does not belong to Siaya… It does not belong to a family,” he stated.