Ida Odinga Under Attack: Orengo Warns of a Dangerous Betrayal

The growing attacks against H.E. Canon Ida Odinga have ignited a fierce debate about loyalty, political betrayal and the future of Raila Odinga’s legacy.

Siaya Governor James Orengo has expressed shock and deep concern over what he describes as coordinated and mobilised attacks against a woman he regards as an important figure in Kenya’s long struggle for justice and democracy.

For Orengo, Ida Odinga cannot simply be remembered as the wife of the late Raila Odinga.

She was also a participant in the broader struggle against oppression, injustice and political despotism.

Through the years, she stood alongside Raila during some of the most difficult chapters of Kenya’s political history, witnessing and sharing in the sacrifices that came with the struggle for democratic change.

It is this history that makes the current attacks particularly troubling, according to Orengo.

He argues that the language and propaganda directed at the Odinga family go beyond ordinary political disagreement and reflect what he sees as a disturbing culture of treachery and betrayal.

Orengo further suggests that the rhetoric now being witnessed did not emerge overnight.

In his view, similar sentiments were already beginning to surface while Raila Odinga was still alive.

What was once expressed quietly, he argues, has now become more visible and aggressive.

At the heart of the controversy is the question of Raila Odinga’s political legacy.

Orengo alleges that individuals who once benefited from or identified with the movement have abandoned its principles and are now attempting to consign Raila’s contribution to Kenya’s political history to oblivion.

But history, as Orengo’s message suggests, cannot easily be rewritten.

Raila Odinga’s political journey was shaped by decades of activism, confrontation with authoritarianism and demands for greater democratic accountability.

Whether one supported his politics or opposed them, his influence on Kenya’s political landscape remains difficult to ignore.

The controversy also places Ida Odinga at the centre of a much larger struggle over memory and legacy.

Attacking her, critics may argue, is part of political contestation; her defenders see it as an attempt to diminish a family that has played a significant role in Kenya’s democratic journey.

Orengo’s warning is therefore as much about the future as it is about the past.

Political movements may change, alliances may shift and individuals may fall out, but the historical record cannot simply be discarded for political convenience.

His closing reference to the old saying that a donkey’s reward is a kick captures his sense of betrayal: after years of service, loyalty can sometimes be repaid with hostility.

For Orengo and those who share his view, however, the message is unmistakable: Raila Odinga’s legacy will not be erased, and the struggle for justice and democracy must continue.

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