Winnie Odinga congratulates Oburu on ODM ratification
By Faith Lagat, March 27, 2026East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Winnie Odinga has delivered a passionate address at the Orange Democratic Movement’s (ODM) Special National Delegates Convention (NDC) at Jamhuri Grounds in Nairobi.
This comes after the party delegates formally ratified her uncle, Oburu Oginga, as the party’s substantive leader following the passing of veteran opposition icon Raila Odinga in October 2025.
Speaking during the convention on March 27, 2026, Winnie congratulated Oburu while urging the leadership to create space for young people.
“I say this with humility: congratulations, our party leader. We believe as you lead this next part of the transition, as they call you, the youth leader, you’ll open the space in this party for all the millions of young people of Kenya and give us our space,” she said.
Winnie described her address as a homecoming, affirming her commitment to represent the voices of young Kenyans within ODM.
Calls for youth inclusion
Winnie emphasised the importance of genuine youth participation beyond rallies and street action.
“Our young people are demanding their rightful space at the table… we must create space for them instead of only calling on them when we want them to shout,” she said.
The EALA MP also highlighted the need for accountability and transparency, urging the leadership to ensure party systems work for all members, especially young supporters who have borne the brunt of past political struggles.
She called for decentralisation within the party to empower grassroots structures and branches.
“When we talk about the new ODM, we want a party that opens doors, not closes them. We want a leadership that listens to our concerns and acts on our ideas. We want participation as young people that extends beyond rallies. We want to be involved, and our voices should shape decisions and negotiations,” Winnie stated.
Navigating party divisions
Winnie’s speech came amid lingering tensions in ODM, with a rival faction, the Linda Mwananchi group, holding a parallel meeting at Ufungamano House.
Weeks earlier, she had expressed reservations about Oburu’s leadership and sided with ousted Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, criticising post-Raila decisions as rushed and secretive.
However, by attending the official NDC, Winnie signalled cautious support for the mainstream party structure while continuing to press for reforms from within.