A section of Luo elders on Saturday morning paid symbolic homage to East African Legislative Assembly Member Winnie Odinga by crowning her as the political heir to her late father, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
The traditional ceremony has reignited speculation about the succession plan less than a year after the death of the former Prime Minister.
The elders paid their respects at a memorial service for elders and veterans at Opoda Farm in Bondo, Siaya County. Rose Otumba, the Siaya Luo Council of Elders’ women’s representative, placed a traditional bonnet on Winnie’s head and wished her success as she steps into the political arena her father dominated for decades.
Winnie’s mother, Ida Odinga, her elder sister Rosemary, local council leaders, and other relatives attended the low-profile ceremony. Winnie’s brother, Raila Odinga Junior, was not present. Mama Ida said he had other commitments and was held up elsewhere.
Jotham Ajiki, the council’s organising secretary, led a traditional Sigweya song and dance and urged the crowd to appreciate Winnie’s commitment to leading the party and the country. The youths in the audience also told Mama Ida that it was time to let Winnie step forward and allow her to inject new life into the ODM party.
Winnie said she had deliberately kept away from the public for about a year to mourn her father’s death and that she was now ready to re-engage with public life. She said she appreciated the elders’ tribute, but noted that political power could not be seized by force.
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, affectionately known as “Baba”, died on October 15, 2025, after suffering cardiac arrest while in India, where he was receiving treatment for a long illness. His death created a major vacuum in opposition politics and in the ODM party, which he had dominated for many years.
The question of leadership and succession has since been at the centre of discussions within the Odinga family and among the wider Luo political elite.
Raila Junior was earlier this year anointed the heir to the Odinga political dynasty in a traditional ceremony. Senator Oburu Oginga, Raila’s brother, said the installation was more of a cultural event than a political one.
In recent months, Raila Junior has staked his claim to the presidency in the 2027 general election, while also vying for the Kibra parliamentary seat that his father previously held.
Besides being a member of the East African Legislative Assembly, Winnie has for many years been involved in the political structures surrounding her father’s career.
Analysts say the Bondo ceremony, together with the earlier endorsement by some ODM Nairobi delegates of Winnie as deputy leader, adds a new dimension to the succession debate within the ODM party.
– By John Murunga
Email your news TIPS to Editor@nairobilawmonthly.com, and to advertise with us, call +254715061658 anytime of the day
