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Babu Owino Denies Rift with Odinga Family Amid Social Media Speculation

Nairobi, Kenya – Embakasi East constituency legislator Babu Owino has publicly refuted rumors suggesting strained relations between himself and the family of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Taking to social media on Monday, December 15, the outspoken parliamentarian moved to quash speculation that has been circulating online regarding alleged tensions with the prominent political family.

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“Treated Like Family”

In his statement, Owino emphasized the warm relationship he continues to enjoy with Mama Ida Odinga, describing how the former Prime Minister’s widow has consistently welcomed him with maternal affection.

“Mama Ida loves me like her own son, welcomes me home, and gives me food whenever I visit her. I can never insult such a mum. She’s been good to me, and I love her,” the MP wrote, addressing allegations that he had made disrespectful comments about the family matriarch.

The legislator went further to highlight his cordial relationships with other family members, specifically mentioning Winnie Odinga, Raila Junior, and Rosemary Odinga as personal friends.

“Winnie Odinga is my friend, Junior is my friend, and Rosemary is my friend too, how can I insult their only mother?” Owino questioned rhetorically, dismissing the social media claims as baseless.

According to the MP, he remains a regular visitor to the Odinga household, where he receives a warm reception contrary to narratives suggesting estrangement.

Public Acknowledgment at Beryl Odinga’s Burial

Owino’s statement follows events at the funeral service for Beryl Odinga, the late Prime Minister’s sister, held in Bondo on Saturday, December 6. During the ceremony, Winnie Odinga made a point of publicly recognizing the Embakasi East MP’s presence and affirming his standing within the Orange Democratic Movement family.

In her remarks, Winnie called for unity among ODM members, emphasizing that solidarity requires accepting fellow party members regardless of personal feelings.

“When we talk about unity, it means that you accept people, even those whom you don’t like. So mum, I’m borrowing your time, but I would like a friend of mine to stand up where he is because he is one of us. That is my friend Babu Owino over there,” Winnie stated during the service, gesturing toward the legislator.

Her intervention appeared designed to counter whispers about Owino’s relationship with the family, making his inclusion explicit before mourners and political observers in attendance.

Gratitude and Veiled References

Responding to Winnie’s gesture the following day, December 7, Owino expressed appreciation through social media while making cryptic references to underlying dynamics at the funeral gathering.

“Thank you, Winnie Odinga. You are such a darling. You could see through their dark hearts,” the parliamentarian posted, suggesting that certain attendees harbored hostility toward him or wished to exclude him from speaking at the ceremony.

The MP’s phrasing indicated awareness of opposition to his participation, though he did not identify specific individuals or elaborate on the nature of the resistance he perceived.

Internal ODM Dynamics Under Scrutiny

The controversy surrounding Owino’s relationship with the Odinga family emerges against a backdrop of speculation about internal divisions within the Orange Democratic Movement following Raila Odinga’s passing.

Political analysts have observed jockeying for position among various factions within the party as different camps position themselves for future leadership contests and political realignments.

Owino, known for his fierce loyalty to Raila Odinga during the veteran politician’s lifetime, has faced particular scrutiny regarding his standing with the family and his future role within ODM’s evolving power structure.

The public nature of both the rumors and Owino’s rebuttal reflects the heightened sensitivities around succession politics within the party and the Odinga political legacy.

As ODM navigates this transitional period, relationships between key personalities and the Odinga family continue to attract intense public interest, with social media serving as both a platform for speculation and for principals to directly address narratives about their political alignments.

The MP’s emphatic denial and Winnie Odinga’s public endorsement appear calculated to definitively settle questions about his relationship with the family, at least for now, as Kenya’s political landscape continues shifting in the wake of Raila Odinga’s death.