I remain where Baba left me! Ida's tells Raila's supporters

Ida Odinga has thrown her weight behind the political cooperation between ODM and President William Ruto, declaring that she will not abandon the party or the broad-based government despite growing disagreements within the Orange movement over the arrangement.

Ida said her political position remained unchanged following the death of her husband, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, insisting that she was committed to the path he had left her on.

Addressing residents in Homa Bay County on Tuesday, November 10, Ida said Raila's sudden death had left many of his supporters without clear political direction, but urged them to remain steadfast rather than shift allegiance.

“When Baba left us, Hon. Raila Amollo Odinga, who was my husband, he left us suddenly. And he was gone. Some people reached (where he was), and some did not reach."

“Where he left me is where I am still standing,” Ida said.

She made the remarks during the launch of the Gembe Hills Participatory Management Plan in Suba North Subcounty, an event attended by area MP Millie Mabona.

Ida acknowledged that Raila's death had affected many people who looked up to him for political leadership, but maintained that his supporters should not abandon the positions they held before his passing.

“I know he left a lot of people. Where he left you is where you should stand. You don’t move,” she said.

She specifically identified ODM membership and the broad-based government as the two political positions she intended to maintain, making it clear that she had no plans to chart a different course.

“For me, he left me in ODM. That is why there is where I still stand. He left me in broad-based. That is where I stand,” Ida said.

She also disclosed that Raila had told her President William Ruto was the country's leader and advised her to remain in that arrangement.

Her declaration comes amid an increasingly heated debate within ODM over its cooperation with Ruto's administration, with a section of party members pushing for a break from the broad-based government.

The latest remarks are a setback for the Linda Mwananchi faction, whose members have openly opposed the arrangement and are seeking to build an alternative political alliance ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The faction includes Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Siaya Governor James Orengo, among other ODM leaders who have taken issue with the party's engagement with the President.

Some members have since established or joined other political outfits to advance their political ambitions as the country moves towards the next electoral contest.

Sifuna, who heads the Linda Mwananchi Party, is working on plans to bring the outfit into the Linda Mwananchi Movement. The proposed alliance is expected to unite several political parties opposed to Ruto's leadership and provide a common platform for the opposition.

Ida's position also comes against the background of her appointment by Ruto as Kenya's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 2026. She continues to serve in the position.

The appointment was part of the President's efforts to strengthen his political ties with areas that had traditionally backed Raila, following the former Prime Minister's death on October 15, 2025.

The Odinga family continues to command considerable political influence, making its position on the relationship between ODM and Ruto's administration an important issue as the party considers its future direction.