What comes to mind when Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo is mentioned? Firebrand, rubble rouser, fierce defender of women’s rights, political drama or just a leader of strong conviction!
Whatever you may think of her, it is evident she is not your typical lawmaker, especially the infamous ones who sit in Parliament for five years and never utter a word.
She is widely known for talking tough and punching back, but sometimes her detractors accuse her of taking political drama a bit too far.
Even President Uhuru Kenyatta has been a victim of the MP’s brazen nature when in December 2016, she denigrated and insulted him.
An activist, Philip Njuguna Waruthi, dragged her to court, demanding she apologises to President Kenyatta.
Handshake politics
But recently, following the March 9, 2018 handshake between her party leader Raila Odinga and President Kenyatta, she has been less critical of the government.
But with the ongoing referendum debate, and with gains made by women at risk from some of the proposals, Kenyans will look to her among other vocal leaders to defend gender equity.
She also been on the forefront of pushing for the two-thirds gender bill, which the male-dominated Parliament has failed to pass.
This Sunday, Millie Odhiambo is set to trade punches with Anne Kiguta on K24’s Punchline at 9.30 p.m.
