Suba North Member of Parliament Millie Odhiambo on Tuesday left MPs laughing after joking that Arsenal F.C.’s long wait for a league title almost ruined her marriage.
The lively exchange unfolded in the National Assembly after Moses Wetang'ula allowed the MP two minutes to comment following remarks by another legislator who had congratulated Arsenal.
“Thank you, Mister Speaker. It would be a tragedy if we hear Arsenal people speaking here and we have Man United in the House, Mister Speaker,” Millie said as MPs burst into laughter.
The outspoken legislator, a staunch supporter of Manchester United F.C., then launched into a humorous account of life at home with her husband, who supports Arsenal.
“In my mother tongue, there is a saying that goes ‘Thiang’ ok tho kendo gi othera’, meaning when a cow dies in the home of a thin person, we will never stop hearing the last of it,” she said.
“So, a cow has died in the home of the thin person because they have never seen this for a whole 22 years.”
The chamber erupted again after she claimed Arsenal supporters had spent years in frustration following the club’s title drought.
“My husband is an Arsenal supporter, and I want to tell you that I thought for a long time that he had stopped being interested in soccer,” she said.
“They have just been frustrated and depressed for 22 years. The man almost divorced me out of depression because they cannot handle defeat.”
Millie told the House Arsenal fans should learn from Manchester United supporters, saying her preferred club remained “the biggest team on earth”.
The comments triggered laughter from MPs across the political divide, with some banging tables as she spoke.
She, however, shifted from football rivalry to a broader reflection on the unifying role of sports.
The MP noted that even supporters with differing political opinions had come together online to celebrate the Arsenal victory, including sharing photos of late opposition leader Raila Odinga, whom she referred to as an Arsenal supporter.
“There are people who are not friends of Baba, and Baba was an Arsenal supporter, but they were all there on the internet putting his photos across and cheering all over,” she said.
Millie urged the country to invest more in local sports, pointing to Gor Mahia F.C.’s recent success.
“We need to strengthen our sports and games, especially the local ones, so that we can also have our sons and daughters celebrated,” she said.
As her allotted time elapsed, Wetang’ula attempted to cut her short, prompting another moment of laughter.
“Mister Speaker, you should not rule me because you are biased,” Millie interjected jokingly.
Wetang’ula responded amid laughter from the House: “Suba MP, in just two minutes, you have betrayed two people; your husband and Baba.”
The exchange briefly transformed the usually tense parliamentary chamber into a scene of football banter, with MPs from rival political camps joining in the laughter.
