Oburu warned Raila of possible fallout in Odinga family before his death

ODM party leader and Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga/FILE

A widening rift has emerged within the Odinga family and ODM following the death Raila Odinga, with revelations showing the former Prime Minister had been cautioned of a possible family fallout shortly before his passing.

In an interview with the Daily Nation, Raila’s elder brother, Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga, disclosed that he had warned the former Prime Minister of unresolved issues within the family—particularly around the management and distribution of family assets—which he feared could erupt into conflict after their generation was gone.

Oburu said he delivered the warning over the phone just days before Raila died in India on October 15.

The two had agreed to meet in Dubai on October 19 to settle what Oburu described as “outstanding matters” relating to the Odinga estate and the broader Jaramogi family properties.

“I was telling him that there are a few things which are outstanding in the family, including the estate, which we had managed with him,” Oburu said.

“My fear has always been the uncertainty of life, and the possibility that both of us could depart before putting these matters in order.”

But Raila’s death has now brought these unresolved tensions into full public view.

Sources indicate that the current conflict pits Oburu, who has stepped in as ODM party leader, against Raila’s daughter, Winnie Odinga, who has openly challenged his authority.

Winnie has insisted that ODM’s next leader must be chosen through a National Delegates Convention, not through what she describes as “boardroom arrangements or pillow talk.” She has been vocal about resisting any transition that sidelines younger leaders or hands the party to what she calls political “caretakers.” 

The tensions became more evident when Winnie skipped a family ceremony announcing her brother, Raila Junior, as the new Odinga family spokesperson—a role traditionally used to coordinate communication among the different branches of the family.

Within ODM, the rift has also seeped into party forums. During the ODM@20 celebrations in Mombasa, Winnie accused unnamed party officials of attempting to “sell the party,” a remark widely interpreted as a swipe at leaders perceived to be aligning closely with President William Ruto’s administration.

At the centre of the dispute is the future of ODM within Ruto’s broad-based government, an arrangement Raila endorsed.

Oburu insists that this cooperation was Raila’s final political directive. However, Winnie and her allies remain suspicious, arguing that some leaders now driving the arrangement “cannot manage what only Baba could manage.”

With Oburu’s earlier warnings now coming to light, it is increasingly clear that the Odinga family and ODM face a difficult period of transition.