Political mudslinging directed at Ida Odinga and the Odinga family, even before the mourning period for the late Raila Amolo Odinga had ended, is not accidental. It is not spontaneous. It is political, choreographed and deeply revealing of the anxiety gripping certain quarters of our politics.

Death, in any moral society creates a pause – a moment of restraint and respect. But Kenyan politics does not pause when power is at stake. Raila Odinga’s passing created a vacuum: an ideological giant gone, a party with national reach suddenly exposed and a loyal base emotionally vulnerable.

That is when opportunists move fastest.

Ida Odinga became a target not because she is weak but because she is symbolically powerful. She represents continuity, conscience and the moral custody of Raila’s legacy. Even without declaring political ambition, her mere presence complicates attempts to hurriedly repackage the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) into a convenient appendage of the ruling establishment. And when you cannot neutralise someone institutionally, you attempt to demean them socially.

The same logic explains the vile attacks on Winnie Odinga – questioning her lineage, mocking her grief and weaponising family pain. This is not debate. It is character assassination meant to strip the Odinga name of moral authority so that political inheritance can be contested without resistance.

It is cowardly, and it tells us how desperate some people are.

More worrying, however, is the indecent rush by some ODM insiders to align – Siaya Governor James Orengo called it selling – the party with the governing United Democratic Alliance (UDA) without consultation, without ideological debate and without respect for what ODM has historically stood for.

Coalitions formed in panic are not strategic; they are transactional. They are about individual survival, not party strength. ODM was not built to be a subsidiary. It was built to challenge power, not to seek comfort under it.

The question around Oburu Odinga’s role must also be addressed honestly. Blood relation alone does not confer political legitimacy. Parties do not belong to families; they belong to ideas, members and history. Any move – by anyone – that weakens ODM’s independence or trades its leverage for short-term proximity to power is not stewardship. It is liquidation.

So why the sustained attacks on Odingas who refuse to toe the “bread-based government” line? Because power fears memory. Raila Odinga’s politics were not dangerous because of elections alone, but because they carried an idea: that politics must serve dignity, justice, and the poor. Those who continue to echo that idea must be silenced, shamed, or isolated.

This is where Ida Odinga’s moment emerges clearly.

History shows that widows of iconic leaders can stabilise and reorganise parties – not through sentiment, but through moral authority, discipline and timing. The world saw it in Philippines after the assassination of Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr on August 21, 1983, at Manila International Airport. His wife, Maria Corazon Aquino, galvanised Filipinos who ousted strongman Ferdinand Marcos throw ‘people power movement.

The US Inquirer said of the event: “Aquino’s assassination had profound implications for Philippine society. It transformed him into a martyr for the opposition against the Marcos regime, igniting widespread protests and public outrage. His death exposed the brutality of the Marcos dictatorship and mobilised various sectors of society to unite against authoritarian rule. This culminated in the People Power Revolution of 1986, which ultimately led to the ousting of Marcos and the restoration of democracy in the Philippines.”

It adds, “Aquino’s widow, Corazon Aquino, emerged as a key figure in the opposition and later became the first female president of the Philippines. The legacy of Ninoy Aquino continues to resonate in Philippine politics, symbolising the struggle for democracy and human rights.

Wikipedia says of the moment, “The assassination of Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr was a critical turning point in Philippine history, marking the beginning of a movement that would eventually restore democracy to the nation. His legacy as a symbol of resistance against tyranny remains influential to this day.”

Ida Odinga does not need to shout. She needs to be decisive. By stepping into party structures, convening a national conversation, consolidating the base and restoring internal discipline, she can stop ODM from cracking and reposition it as a serious and independent political force.

ODM does not need to rush into government. A united, ideologically clear ODM becomes a kingmaker, not a beggar. That is how meaningful coalitions are negotiated – from strength, not fear.

If Ida Odinga hesitates too long, others will rewrite the story, occupy the structures and sell the party cheaply. If she steps forward with clarity and restraint, she can protect Raila Odinga’s legacy – not as a dynasty, but as a living political philosophy.

History will judge this moment harshly. It will remember who mistook grief for weakness, who auctioned conviction for crumbs, and who stood up to say: ODM is bigger than individual comfort, and Raila’s legacy is not for sale.

• A Tell Media report/ By Ochieng Ochino / A political commentator