Musician and enterprenuer, Esther Akoth popularly Akothee has publicly defended East African Legislative Assembly member and last born daughter of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Winnie Odinga, against a wave of social media criticism that has tied her marital status to her suitability for political leadership.

In a facebook post, Akothee rejected the idea that marriage should be considered a necessity for political office, calling on critics, particulary within the Luo community, to “style up and stop embarrassing themselves” with attacks rooted in traditional expectations rather than substantive political debate.

Akothee’s message, directed by name at Winnie Odinga, hailed her as “bright, pure of heart and strong,” and encouraged her not to feel pressured into marriage simply because of social norms or online harassment.

She wrote that marriage is not a qualification for leadership and that insults from commentators reveal more about their own shortcomings than about Winnie herself. “Marriage is not a ticket to parliament,” she stated, pushing back against those who tie personal life choices to political credibility.

The controversy comes against the backdrop of ongoing political positioning ahead of the 2027 general election, where Winnie Odinga, has been increasingly visible in national conversations.

Winnie has been a vocal figure within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) since her father’s passing on October 15th 2025.

Winnie has been addressing internal party debates and defending grassroots voices against what she terms one-sided decision -making within the party.

Akothee’s post also included an invitation to women without husbands to come together and support one another with “the truth,” underscoring her belief that societal pressure on marital status disproportionately affects women in leadership. She pledged that in 2026 she would not “stay silent” and would defend Odinga against detractors.