With two seats in, a presidential win will crown Odinga dynasty trophies
Dr Oburu Oginga and his wife Dr Anne Oburu celebrate after he was declared the winner of the Siaya Senate race by IEBC returning officer at the Siaya County tallying centre.
What you need to know:
- Jaramogi Oginga Odinga was Kenya’s first vice-president.
- Raila Odinga himself served as a prime minister during the Kibaki era.
- Raila's elder brother Dr Oburu Oginga represented Kenya in the East Africa Legislative Assembly.
- Ruth Oginga was a deputy governor in Kisumu County in the Jack Ranguma-led administration.
With two seats already in the bag, the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga family from Bondo has its eyes firmly on the presidency, hoping to crown it all with a win by Raila.
For them, every election cycle brings new entrants.
If the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya presidential candidate wins, he will have achieved one of his dreams after four failed attempts.
Having this in the bag may just complete the Odinga family’s trophy cabinet, as the ODM leader has occupied other elective positions except the presidency.
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga was Kenya’s first vice-president, Mr Odinga himself served as a prime minister during the Kibaki era and his elder brother Dr Oburu Oginga represented Kenya in the East Africa Legislative Assembly.
Raila Odinga. He is the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Presidential candidate.
Other members of the family have also held various positions, including Mr Odinga’s sister Akinyi Wenwa, who has represented Kenya in different countries.
And in this election, three Odinga family members bagged two seats in Siaya and Kisumu.
Dr Oginga was declared the new Siaya senator, while his younger sister Ruth Odinga won the Kisumu woman representative seat.
Nominated MCA Truphosa Osewe, Mr Odinga’s sister-in-law, also clinched the North Sakwa ward representative seat.
Dr Oginga garnered 285,595 votes, beating his closest competitor, Mr Okinda Julius Okongo, who managed 33,898.
He described the victory as one of the greatest occasions for him owing to his age and the people he was contesting against.
The issue of age dominated the campaigns, with many saying that at 78, Dr Oginga should have given the opportunity to younger leaders, but he insisted the Senate was a preserve of experienced and seasoned politicians.
Vast experience
“I am past 70 and now approaching the eighth floor yet you have given me the honour to represent you in the Senate. There were very many younger candidates I faced. It is just unfortunate that their time for maturity to represent people in the Senate has not yet come,” said Dr Oginga.
He said he wanted to join the Senate so as to share his vast experience in legislation spanning about 30 years.
Ms Odinga was declared the third Kisumu woman representative, garnering 304,493 votes and beating Valentine Otieno of the Movement for Democracy and Growth (MDG) party, who had 80,117 and Dr Rose Kisia (independent), who had 36, 692.
Ms Odinga once served as Kisumu deputy governor under ex-county boss Jack Ranguma. She was the director of special programmes under the re-elected Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o before resigning to seek an elective seat.
Ms Ruth Odinga. She won the Kisumu Woman Rep seat.
She had ambitions to face Prof Nyong’o but shifted her eyes to the woman representative seat. She received her ticket after defeating prominent women politicians in the region in ODM primaries.
Earlier this year, some other family members also threw their hats in the ring.
Those who were defeated in the nominations or were prevailed upon to step down for the others went straight into intense campaigns for Mr Odinga and other ODM candidates at the national and the county levels.
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Dr Oginga’s eldest son, Mr Jaoko Oburu, shelved his ambitions for the Langata parliamentary seat to concentrate on the campaigns leading the Young Turks Handshake Alliance to rally youths to vote for Mr Odinga. He was joined by his brother Elijah Oburu, who lost in the ODM Kisumu Central Parliamentary seat primaries.
Their uncle, Mr Omondi Odinga, also withdrew from the Milimani Market ward contest after it emerged that he would face Mr George Abwajo, a distant son-in-law. Mr Abwajo lost in the ODM primaries and joined the Azimio Youths campaigns for Mr Odinga.
Mr Jalang’o Midiwo, a first cousin of Mr Odinga, also failed to make his debut in politics after he lost to Mr Elisha Odhiambo in the race for the ODM ticket for the Gem parliamentary seat.
But with the two seats in the bag, the Odingas are now seeking to expand their territory with a Raila win.
In his acceptance speech, Dr Oginga also touched on anxiety among their supporters, who are waiting for the presidential results, exuding confidence that his younger brother would bring the coveted prize home.
“We are patiently waiting for the top seat and we only pray that no monkey games will be played up there,” Dr Oginga said.
