A public dispute erupted within Kenya’s Orange Democratic Movement on Saturday after Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo challenged Nairobi MCA Robert Alai for comments she said disrespected women and targeted Winnie Odinga at a sensitive time for her family.

The confrontation took place during ODM’s 20th anniversary event in Mombasa, where party members were expected to reflect on two decades of political battles and shifting alliances. Instead, the gathering laid bare growing divisions.

Alai had criticised Winnie Odinga after her sharp remarks about internal party manoeuvring. He questioned her political experience and faulted senior ODM leaders for, in his words, “allowing her to lecture them.”

Millie Odhiambo, known for her outspoken defence of women’s rights, issued a pointed warning.

“Before I finish, I would like to warn the person who attacked Winnie Odinga,” she said. “I am a defender of women… Alai, you like harassing women, but where Millie is, we will deal with you head-on.”

She stressed that Winnie, who lost her father, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, only a month ago, deserved empathy and respect. Odhiambo called the MCA’s comments culturally insensitive during a period of mourning.

“Winnie is the heart of Baba,” she added, referring to Raila by his long-used political nickname.

The exchange quickly spilled onto social media, where Alai suggested that some leaders aligned with Winnie’s claims that elements within ODM were plotting to “sell the party.” His remarks revived accusations of internal betrayal that have hovered over the party since Raila’s death.

Odhiambo responded with another sharp statement online.

“Robert Alai, you are used to attacking women and getting away with it,” she wrote. “It is exactly one month since Winnie lost her dad. It is uncouth and uncultured to attack her… Bring it on. I am waiting.”

Her comments echoed broader frustrations among long-time ODM members, many of whom feel the party is drifting from its founding ethos of protest, activism and unity.

The confrontation came as dozens of ODM leaders gathered for the anniversary event. But instead of offering a moment of cohesion, the weekend highlighted rifts over the party’s future direction.

In a separate development, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino questioned why he was left out of the party’s newly unveiled top leadership, another sign of deepening unease as succession debates continue.

For ODM, a party long defined by its passionate base and charismatic founder, the tensions suggest a difficult phase ahead as leaders negotiate identity, loyalty and the path to 2027.