ODM infighting: Ruth Odinga wants her brother Oburu to listen to the youth

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Kisumu Woman Representative  Ruth Odinga has challenged ODM leaders to give young party members a real seat at the decision-making table.

She is warning that ignoring their energy and ideas could cost the party its future.

“If the youth are rattling the cage, it is because we have kept them outside of it for too long,” she said.

Drawing an analogy from the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco, she said major decisions can be made from the inside.

“We saw Sadio Mane go into the locker room and bring his teammates back onto the pitch. You cannot win the game if you are not on the pitch. That is the message to our youth: don’t walk away, demand to play, and position yourselves to lead.”

Ruth who is the sister to Oburu Oginga, made the call as younger ODM figures such as Babu Owino, Winnie Odinga, Edwin Sifuna, and Caleb Amisi continue to push for change and greater influence within the party.

She proposed the creation of constitutionally protected positions for youth within ODM leadership, saying that without structural support, brilliant young leaders cannot compete on equal footing with well-connected veterans.

“Leadership requires more than just a title; it requires a fair playing field. We cannot pretend that a young person with fresh ideas can compete with well-connected veterans without support,” she said.

Ruth also condemned the culture of using youth as “political shields” or foot soldiers, urging them to assert themselves strategically and demand a proper place in the party hierarchy.

“Let us build an ODM that looks like the face of Kenya: young, vibrant, and ready for the future,” she concluded.