Ida Odinga, the wife of Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has broken her silence on Odinga’s Successor and picked a suitable candidate to succeed the former Prime Minister.
According to Ida, her husband Raila Odinga prefers nominated MP John Mbadi as Odinga’s successor, if his bid for the African Union Commission chairperson post sails through.
Speaking at a function in Nyandiwa in Suba South on Friday, February 23, Ida settled on Mbadi whom she praised as Raila’s heartbeat in an endorsement likely to fuel tensions inside ODM.
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“Baba as he goes to AU has mentored many to take care of what he’s left behind. Mbadi after all these years of mentorship do you still need more training? Should I continue? That’s Baba’s heartbeat.”
Ida, however, added that more leaders who were tutored by Raila were ready to step up whenever but Mbadi topped the list.
She also assured Raila’s supporters that the party was intact and safe despite Raila seeking to offer his services to the continent and may fail to seek the presidency in a sixth stab in 2027.
“There is nothing that has been lost. He is still a Kenyan and he is not the first Kenyan to seek a job outside the country. He has a ready team, and even when he is away, they are still.”
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In his response, Mbadi assured Azimio supporters that the party’s operations were well-oiled, and they were angling at reaping the benefits of Raila’s role at AU, if successful.
“The fact that Raila is going to the AU job should not bother you at all. We are the ones who know the advantage of it. Let him go and be the President of the whole of Africa.”
This comes after ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, on Thursday, February 22, dismissed reports of a succession battle risking to divide the party and promised to keep the supporters informed in case of new developments.