Babu Owino, Embakasi East member of Parliament has called on Winnie Odinga to pursue bigger political opportunities, in remarks that appear to respond to her recent declaration of loyalty to the Linda Ground faction of the Orange Democratic Movement(ODM) party.
Babu Owino likened Winnie’s current path to a ”pond”, and urged her to consider a broader platform, he described as ‘the ocean’.
Speaking in a strongly worded statement, Owino suggested that Winnie Odinga’s influence and potential extend far-beyond the position she is reportedly eying.
”I want to tell Winnie Odinga that she is bigger than the pond where she is going to, she should join the ocean, which is bigger and the ocean is here,” Babu Owino noted.
The comment follow Winnie Odinga’s statement during the recent ODM meeting, where she was crowned the deputy party leader. In her remarks, she firmly reaffirmed her allegiance to the party, saying;
”Hii chama ODM ni nyumba ambayo baba yangu alijenga. Mimi Winnie Odinga natoka hapa nikienda wapi? Winnie said, underscoring her commitment to the political outfit founded by her father, Raila Odinga.
His remarks has since sparked political debate. While he did not explicitly name the position or platform he was referring to, his comments have been widely interpreted as a push for Winnie Odinga to join a more expansive political course.
The exchange has drawn mixed reactions, with some interpreting Owino’s comments as a push for Winnie Odinga to expand her political reach, while others view it as a challenge to her strong identification with ODM.
” Winnie is heading towards the right path, you cant be a queen/king without the support from the home ground,” one netizen said.
”Winnie has joined the ocean, she just realized that she was swimming in a pond,” another citizen added.
