Winnie Odinga’s election to the East African Legislative Assembly has effectively placed her at the centre of her father’s succession in Luo Nyanza politics.
Winnie’s election to the Arusha-based assembly makes her the first of Raila Odinga’s children to enter elective politics at a time when the former Prime Minister’s political future — who has been in the country’s political scene for decades — remains uncertain.
Although other members of the Odinga family are active in politics, analysts believe her election was a deliberate effort by Raila to begin grooming a successor.
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Odinga’s elder brother, Oburu Odinga, is a Siaya senator, and his sister, Ruth Odinga, is a Kisumu woman representative. However, Winnie has emerged as ambitious enough to assume the family’s political mantle.
Seen as her father’s confidante and close operative in major political moves, her successful campaign to win the competitive seat among MPs in both the Senate and the National Assembly is likely to elevate her to the same level as key political players in the Luo Nyanza region.
Analysts believe this will give her a political springboard for future elective positions.
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It is also possible that she will displace other political operatives who have long had direct access to Odinga and have used him to win seats.
Critics, on the other hand, point out that Winnie would need a lot of grooming to be accepted in her father’s political base. Analysts believe that the perception of her as divisive, arrogant, and protective of her father may work against her. During the August 9 election campaigns, her tactics alarmed many of his father’s supporters, but she has defended herself.
Some argue that the EALA seat does not resonate with many Kenyans, making it ineffective for local politics. However, ODM politicians believe she is a great politician with the potential to become a more powerful figure.
Political analyst Macharia Munene says, “There is nothing unusual about Raila making sure that his daughter Winnie gets something. The bigger question is if he is trying to groom her to take over from him and if she will be accepted, first by Luo Nyanza and the country.
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“It is apparent that he is making Winnie his heir apparent by giving her exposure through her positionin EALA She is being prepared to be accepted by the Luo support base.”
Prof Munene believes that project Winnie will be successful only if she uses the Eala platform to connect with her father’s support base.
Winnie insisted in a recent media interview that her nomination for Eala was not due to his father’s name, but was something she deserved based on her leadership ability. She did admit, however, that the Odinga name had opened many doors for her and landed her in trouble.
Winnie said, “The name Odinga has got me many things…it has got me into trouble, abused, blamed for many things, and persecuted. It has also been a blessing and it is a name that I certainly am proud of and defend, but it does not define Winnie.”
