Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga has condemned the dramatic eviction of Siaya Governor James Orengo from the funeral of Seme MP James Nyikal’s father on Saturday.
Speaking to the media in Kisumu shortly after the incident, Odinga condemned what she described as growing intolerance within Luo Nyanza politics, questioning how an elected leader could be humiliated at a public event for holding a different political opinion.
“A whole governor in Nyanza can be removed and escorted out of a funeral of his colleague who is an MP and for what reason? Because he has a divergent view from those who were sitting there,” she said, visibly angered by the incident.
Odinga criticized the use of hired goons to disrupt political events, saying the act was a sign of moral decay and disrespect for democratic principles.
“And for what reason? Because he has a divergent view from those who are sitting there? What is this intolerance in the ODM party?” she posed.
The Woman Representative distanced herself from the rival factions that clashed during the funeral, the Linda Mwananchi and Linda Ground groups, insisting that her focus remains on preserving the legacy of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who led the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) for two decades since its formation in 2005.
“I do not belong to any of those factions. My concern is to protect the legacy of my late brother, who dedicated his life to building and sustaining the ODM party,” she stated.
Odinga further reflected on Raila Odinga’s political journey, noting that despite facing numerous challenges and what she termed as being denied his rightful share, he always found solace and strength in the ODM party.
Her remarks come amid growing divisions within ODM in the Nyanza region, as competing camps jostle for influence and control in the post-Raila era. The incident in Seme has sparked widespread debate over the state of political tolerance and unity within the party’s traditional stronghold.
