Why Raila's daughter must cross the Rubicon

Winnie Odinga must choose her political camp to secure her future and protect her father’s legacy. [Courtesy]

There was a time Baba Raila Odinga was angered by a threat from the clergy to bar him from addressing mourners during the funeral of a politician in Gem, Siaya County.

The enigma argued that when a politician dies, fellow politicians should bury him. If a doctor dies, medics should have the leeway to bid him farewell. Even when a wizard dies, other wizards should honour him in their own way, and so on and so forth. I fully agree.

This is precisely why it sounds quite simplistic, if not pretentious, to suggest that no one should engage in politics, in whatever form, as activities to mark the first anniversary of Mr Odinga’s death unfold, ostensibly out of respect for his memory.

On Thursday, I penned an opinion imagining what Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga’s speech would have sounded like had he attended the Raila memorial at Migwena grounds in Bondo on October 15. There were a few concerns about the timing of the article.

Mr Njenga Ngigi, a reader, observed that not every day is about political sarcasm. I fully welcome the feedback. However, Mr Odinga was a politician, and his legacy can’t be divorced from politics. Remembering him politically doesn’t diminish the significance of his life or the solemnity of his death.

Baba himself was a master of political satire. He often deployed humour, riddles and sharp wit to make his point. In some circles, his trademark figurative speeches earned him the tag ‘yule jamaa wa vitendawili (the man of riddles). He even did football commentary at rallies.

It would, therefore, be ironic to celebrate Mr Odinga’s legacy while insisting that political satire must be kept out of his remembrance. It’s like banning soup at a chef’s memorial. Put another way, respecting the man doesn’t require suspending political discourse in whatever creative form.

Meanwhile, there was something refreshing about the memorial at Migwena grounds on Thursday. ODM’s Simba Arati and Opiyo Wandayi conducted the orchestra, while the usual braggarts like Mr Judas Iscariot kept off. The absence of the usual chest-thumpers gave the event a welcome freshness.

That said, my focus today is Mr Odinga’s daughter, Winnie Odinga. So far, she has acquitted herself well in the court of public opinion. The EALA MP speaks her mind and is an orator par excellence. You would say she affirms the adage that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

At Migwena, she declared her interest in the Nairobi Senate seat. She dropped hints here and there but stopped short of stating her party or coalition of choice.

However, she was emphatic that she will work with the ‘youth’ in 2027. Observers say ‘youth’ simply means Linda Mwananchi’s Edwin Sifuna.

It will be recalled that at the height of Mr Sifuna’s tribulations in ODM, Winnie accompanied him to a press conference on February 12, 2026, a day after ‘pawaman’ Dr Oginga and chairperson Gladys Wanga occasioned the senator’s removal as secretary general.

A few moments later, Winnie ‘reconciled’ with Dr Oginga. Then for a long while, she stayed low like an envelope. Interestingly, this memorial month seems to have handed her some oomph. But the question remains: Is she with Dr Oburu or Mr Sifuna?

Let’s bring in some history. In 49 BC, Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon River with his army, defying the Roman Senate’s orders. His decision triggered a war but set him on a path to seize power. By crossing the Rubicon, Caesar took an irreversible step with far-reaching consequences.

This, in my view, is precisely what Mr Odinga’s daughter must do. She must cross the Rubicon or forever keep her peace. In the brutal game of politics, fence-sitting is rarely a winning strategy. That wasn’t Mr Odinga’s style. If she hopes to build a formidable career, she must make a choice, own it and face the consequences. If not, the ‘cowardice’ will make her an unworthy heir.

Moreover, she will lose the goodwill she enjoys from Mr Odinga’s supporters. She may not realise it, but that goodwill is not inexhaustible. Godspeed Chogo!

-The writer is a communications practitioner. X:@markoloo