Mbadi, Ruth Odinga In A War Of Words Over ODM Legacy As The Rift Widens
Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga has slammed Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi for attempting to demonise the Odinga name and its contribution to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and the entire country.
In a statement on her social media pages on Sunday, May 10, Ruth, the younger sister of the late former ODM party leader Raila Odinga, slammed and criticised Mbadi.
She accused Mbadi of dismissing the historical role of the Odinga family in shaping the party.
The lawmaker was reacting to Mbadi’s recent comments during the ODM party officials’ retreat in Mombasa, where Mbadi stated that ODM did not belong to the Odingas, describing the party as not being a family property.
Ruth Odinga Message MY MESSAGE TO JOHN MBADI:
— Mutembei TV (@MutembeiTV) May 10, 2026
THE ODINGA HISTORY IS LITTERED WITH SACRIFICES, NOT ENTITLEMENTS
On the 4th of May, I attended an ODM Party retreat in Mombasa that brought together various party organs. Among those who attended were three out of five Cabinet… pic.twitter.com/TC04WUM77w
During the retreat, Mbadi accused Ruth Odinga of undermining the party leadership, asking her to respect the party and that the party did not belong to the Odinga family alone.
“It does not belong to a family. You know we have a party where someone, because she is the sister to the party leader, thinks she can order us around, you cannot,” Mbadi stated, directed to Ruth Odinga.
“We also fought for Raila. If you’re Raila’s sister please respect us, if it is not for us, Raila would not have been the person he was before his demise,” he added, something that did not sit well with Ruth Odinga.
When we met in Mombasa for @TheODMparty retreat, the session provided a private moment for candid talk & introspection.
— Hon. FCPA John Mbadi Ng'ongo, EGH (@JohnMbadiN) May 10, 2026
I'm therefore surprised to see my sister Ruth Adhiambo Odinga (@RuthOdinga42) distort my speech; something which could have entirely remained in-house since… pic.twitter.com/MUuDGkbQHf
In a rejoinder, Ruth Odinga described Mbadi’s sentiments as personal attacks on her since she was the only Odinga at the retreat.
“I say this was a personal attack because I looked around and I was the only Odinga in the room,” she stated.
“My brother, the Party Leader Dr. Oburu Oginga, did not attend the three-day retreat.”
She further took issue with remarks stated by Mbadi, suggesting that former opposition leader Raila Odinga was “dead and buried” and that, even during his lifetime, he would not have had significant influence.
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She argued that such statements amounted to disrespect for both his legacy and his supporters.
“It is not the ODM Party that made Raila Odinga,” she added.
“It is the people of Kenya who made him who he was in life, and even in death, because of what he stood for, and out of that, he and others made the ODM party.”
The recent trading of words between the two comes at a time when the ODM party is faced with internal wrangles, with two distinctive factions having emerged: Linda Ground and Linda Mwananchi.
However, some other members, including Ruth Odinga, have been accused of “sitting on the fence” with pressure piling on them to state their faction, even as infighting intensifies.
Mbadi, Ruth Odinga In A War Of Words Over ODM Legacy As The Rift Widens
