NASA principal Raila Odinga and his sister Ruth Odinga at a past event. [Photo/ the-star.co.ke]
Kisumu Deputy Governor Ruth Odinga has questioned the State’s ‘obsession’ with members of the Odinga family.
Ruth said members of Kenya’s first Vice President, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, had been sidelined in key political adventures because of their relationship with National Super Alliance (NASA) leader Raila Odinga.
She said Odinga family members had failed to clinch elective positions and public service jobs because of their relationship with Raila.
“Even when we run for elective seats, it is the people who hold the sovereign power to decide who to pick and so it may not necessarily be an automatic win as some always perceive it to be,” she told journalists in Kisumu.
Recently, Nominated MP Dr Oburu Odinga withdrew his candidature for the post of MP at the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) following a public outburst over why the opposition was fronting him for the seat despite his ‘advanced’ age.
Parliament Speaker Aden Duale had vowed to mobilise MPs in the National Assembly to shoot down Dr Oburu’s candidature. Also in the list was NASA Pentagon member and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka’s son, Kennedy Musyoka.
“Why should there be protests when any member of the Odinga family runs for an elective post? Just because of Raila despite our qualifications?” posed Ruth who is set to deputize Prof Anyang Nyong’o in the race for Kisumu governor seat.
She claimed some members of ODM party had also perfected the art of sidelining the Odinga’s because of her brother Raila.
In the run-up to the 2013 general election, Ruth showed interest in running for the Kisumu governor seat, but was forced to withdraw her candidature following criticism she received not only in Kisumu, but countrywide.
At that time Dr Oburu, her elder brother, was defending his Bondo parliamentary seat, Jakoyo Midiwo, her cousin, was also defending his Gem MP position while Raila was the Cord presidential candidate.