Raila out of danger, set to be discharged

Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga, who was taken ill on Tuesday, could be discharged in the next two days, according to close family members.

Family spokesperson Dr Oburu Oginga yesterday said Mr Odinga’s personal doctor, Dr David Olunya, assured the family that he was in good shape, thus ruling out a possible Covid-19 illness.

“It shows a possible negative test, but I cannot authoritatively confirm this because I’m not a medical doctor, you can reach Dr Olunya for further details,” Dr Oginga told the Nation.

Mr Odinga’s elder daughter Rosemary Odinga also sought to assure the public that her father is out of danger.

“He is okay and is recovering. No cause for alarm,” she told the Nation on the phone.

The former premier’s youngest son, Raila Odinga Jr, last evening said: “Thanks everyone who called to find out how Baba is. He is good and actually called for a few minutes to speak with his grandson about school and the importance of porridge. He is in very good spirits.”

Medical examinations

In a statement, Dr Olunya said Mr Odinga was undergoing further medical exams after a check-up on Tuesday.

He disclosed that the former prime minister has since been advised to take a rest.

“Hon Odinga walked in for routine medical tests at the Nairobi Hospital on March 9, 2021 after feeling some fatigue,” said Dr Olunya, a consultant neurosurgeon at The Nairobi Hospital.

“He has had a rigorous campaign, and needed to have some check-ups. This was carried out successfully. We are continuing to monitor his condition, and no doubt he will be able to address the country in due course.”

Dr Oginga pointed out that he had an engagement with the ODM leader yesterday, who assured the family that after two days, he would be ready to leave hospital and continue with his activities.

Mr Odinga’s hospitalisation came after a five-day political tour of the Coast to douse political flames in his ODM party and sell the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI). He toured Taita Taveta, Kilifi, Mombasa and Kwale counties, drumming up support for the initiative.

Medical trip to Dubai

In June last year, he took a three-week medical trip to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where he had a minor operation.

In June 2010, Mr Odinga, then Kenya’s prime minister under President Mwai Kibaki’s Grand Coalition government, underwent an operation at The Nairobi Hospital to remove fluid on the brain.

His illness on Tuesday came at a time BBI, his pet project together with President Uhuru Kenyatta, was facing a storm over claims that powerful forces were interfering with referendum campaigns.

Mr Odinga’s ODM, through its Director of Elections who is also the BBI Secretariat’s co-chairman Junet Mohammed, accused Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho of meddling in the BBI campaigns.

Senate Minority Whip and Siaya senator James Orengo also alleged that some powerful figures were working on a parallel presidential succession plan to short-change Mr Odinga.

BBI politics

Further still, other highly placed sources in the Orange party said they had dissuaded Mr Odinga from any engagements on BBI and the handshake the bring on board other political leaders “who continue to undermine him in public.”

“The leadership is clear that Raila should not attend those meetings where stooges are elevated to his level in the name of party leaders yet he is a handshake co-principal,” a highly placed source in the party told the Nation on Tuesday.

This was in an apparent reference to party leaders Musalia Mudavadi (Amani National Congress), Gideon Moi (Kanu), Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper Democratic Movement) and Moses Wetang’ula (Ford Kenya), who are uniting under the One Kenya Movement banner.

Yesterday, Dr Oginga said Mr Odinga confided in him that BBI was on course and that “underlying issues between him and the President had been sorted out.”

“Concerns about (PS Karanja) Kibicho have been sorted out between Raila and the President,” Dr Oginga said, adding that they are ready to work with like-minded individuals to promote BBI.

The One Kenya Movement has vowed to field a presidential candidate and its leaders have been campaigning on their own, leaving Mr Odinga as an outsider in the BBI drive, a project he birthed with Mr Kenyatta.

Senatorial by-election

The team was yesterday in last-minute plans for rallies in Machakos tomorrow and Saturday ahead of next Thursday’s senatorial by-election.

Wiper has fielded Agnes Kavindu Muthama to face off with United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Urbanus Ngengele and former minister Mutua Katuku of Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua’s Maendeleo Chap Chap.

UDA is associated with Deputy President William Ruto.

The leaders will pitch tent in Machakos, savouring the parliamentary mini-poll wins in Matungu and Kabuchai where the alliance’s candidates, Peter Nabulindo in Matungu and Kalasinga Majimbo in Kabuchai, won.

Mr Musyoka last week said the by-election victory was a sign of what to come in 2022.

“The plan is to have the entire leadership of the One Kenya Movement here in Machakos on Friday and Saturday. As Wiper, we are confident of winning this seat very early,” said Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua yesterday.