Orengo Condemns Attacks on Ida Odinga, Accuses Critics of Betraying Raila’s Legacy

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 19 – Siaya Governor James Orengo has condemned what he described as coordinated attacks against Canon Ida Odinga, accusing those targeting the widow of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga of betraying the late opposition leader’s legacy.

In a statement shared on social media platform X on Monday, Orengo said he was shocked and disturbed by what he termed organised attacks against Ida, whom he described as more than Raila’s wife, citing her role in the struggle against oppression, injustice and despotism.

“I am shocked and extremely disturbed by the coordinated and mobilized attacks against H.E Canon Ida Odinga,” Orengo said.

He defended Ida’s contribution to Kenya’s political history, arguing that the criticism directed at her and the wider Odinga family amounted to an attack on the legacy of the former Prime Minister.

Ida has remained a prominent figure in Kenya’s public life, with her association with Raila spanning decades of political activism and the struggle for democratic reforms.

Orengo accused those behind the attacks of using inflammatory language and propaganda against the family, warning that the developments reflected a deeper political dispute over the direction of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) following Raila’s death.

“The vitriol and propaganda directed against the Raila Odinga family smacks of treachery and betrayal,” he said.

The Siaya Governor further alleged that the hostility now being directed at the Odinga family had been building up before Raila’s death, suggesting that the political tensions were not entirely new.

According to Orengo, the language being used by some individuals against the family had begun to emerge while the former Prime Minister was still alive.

He accused unnamed individuals of abandoning the political principles associated with Raila’s leadership and attempting to diminish his place in Kenya’s political history.

“The language used by the mercenaries was slowly seeping on the surface even when Jakom was still alive,” Orengo said.

He went on to accuse the unnamed individuals of having sold out the party and seeking to consign Raila’s legacy to oblivion.

“They have sold the Party and now want to throw Raila Odinga’s legacy to the dustbin of history. It will never happen,” he said.

Orengo did not identify the individuals he was referring to in his statement.

His remarks come amid political discussions over ODM’s future leadership, its relationship with President William Ruto’s broad-based government and the direction the party should take ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Raila’s death has left questions over how ODM will preserve his political legacy while navigating competing interests within the party and the wider opposition landscape.

Orengo concluded his statement with a Luo proverb, “Wang’ Michietho ema gawi,” which he translated as “Asante ya punda ni mateke,” a Swahili expression meaning that a donkey repays kindness with kicks.

The saying appeared to express his frustration with what he considers disloyalty towards the Odinga family and the political movement associated with Raila.

He ended the statement with the phrase “Aluta continua,” meaning “the struggle continues,” signalling his determination to defend the former Prime Minister’s political legacy.

Orengo’s intervention adds to the ongoing debate over Raila’s legacy and the political direction of ODM following the veteran leader’s death.

The party faces the challenge of maintaining unity among its leaders and supporters as political realignments gather pace ahead of the 2027 elections.

Orengo’s statement underscores the divisions surrounding the party’s future and the continuing significance of the Odinga family in discussions about ODM’s identity and political direction.