Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has responded to allegations made by Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga regarding remarks he allegedly made during the ODM party retreat held in Mombasa on May 3.
In a statement shared on social media, Mbadi accused Ruth of distorting his speech from the closed-door meeting, insisting that the retreat had provided party members with a private space for candid discussions and introspection.
The CS expressed disappointment that the issue had been made public, arguing that the deliberations should have remained internal in the spirit of political maturity and party unity.
CS John Mbadi breaks silence on Ruth Odinga claims over ODM meeting remarks. Photo: Courtesy.
He added that he had now been forced to publicly clarify what he termed as his “raw and unfiltered” remarks following Ruth’s claims.
Mbadi’s response came after Ruth detailed what she described as a tense encounter during the ODM retreat, accusing the CS of attacking her because of her association with the Odinga family.
According to Ruth, Mbadi allegedly suggested that ODM does not belong to the Odinga family despite being founded by the late Raila Odinga, remarks she interpreted as being directed at her since she was the only member of the family present at the meeting.
The Kisumu Woman Representative further criticised Mbadi for allegedly implying that she was relying on the Odinga name rather than merit, maintaining that political support and loyalty cannot be forced through intimidation or influence.
Ruth also vowed to continue pushing for unity within ODM and insisted she would not be intimidated into silence by leaders holding powerful positions in government.
