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Political Firestorm: Raila Odinga's Health Sparks Blame Game & Denials

Published 21 hours ago3 minute read
Pelumi Ilesanmi
Pelumi Ilesanmi
Political Firestorm: Raila Odinga's Health Sparks Blame Game & Denials

Two distinct political fronts have emerged in Kenya, engaging in a war of words surrounding former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, his health, and alleged political misinformation. His secretariat has vehemently refuted claims made by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua regarding Odinga's health, while the Wiper Democratic Movement has dismissed allegations from the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) linking its leader, Kalonzo Musyoka, to political misinformation targeting Odinga.

Raila Odinga's secretariat, through his spokesman Dennis Onyango, issued a statement on Sunday, October 5, assuring Kenyans that Odinga is in good health and actively performing his duties from the United Kingdom. This statement was a direct response to a surge of online speculation and media reports suggesting the opposition leader was unwell or hospitalised. Onyango attributed these rumors to a specific political faction comprising Gachagua, Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, and former Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa. The secretariat accused this group of deploying bloggers and using AI-generated images to disseminate false claims about Odinga's well-being, labelling it a "familiar tactic" previously employed to undermine Odinga's failed bid for the African Union Commission chairmanship.

While Rigathi Gachagua has not publicly commented on Odinga's health, he had recently accused the ODM leader of manipulating political alliances to financially exploit the Kenya Kwanza government. Speaking in Kajiado on September 28, Gachagua alleged that Odinga had strategically created two factions – one to support the government and another to critique it. He further suggested that Odinga's silence on ODM's candidate for the 2027 elections was linked to stalled financial negotiations. Onyango dismissed Gachagua's remarks as malicious and politically motivated, designed to stoke anxiety among Kenyans and divert attention from pressing national issues, urging the public to disregard such propaganda and focus on national unity.

Concurrently, the Wiper Democratic Movement released its own statement on Sunday, refuting claims from ODM that Raila Odinga was a victim of political misinformation, allegedly linked to Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka. Wiper accused ODM of engaging in "political theatre" and attempting to entangle Musyoka in its internal disputes. Senator Shakila Aballa, Wiper Secretary General, unequivocally stated that "Any suggestion that Kalonzo Musyoka wishes harm upon Raila is malicious, reckless, and utterly false."

Wiper viewed ODM's allegations as a deliberate diversion from existing divisions within the ruling broad-based government, which it accused the opposition of blindly defending. The party also strongly criticised ODM's partnership with President William Ruto’s administration, asserting that it amounted to a betrayal of Kenyans, particularly the youth who lost their lives during recent protests. Addressing Odinga's unsuccessful pursuit of the African Union Commission chairmanship, Wiper contended that the loss was a result of diplomatic missteps by the then-governing administration, rather than any actions attributable to Kalonzo Musyoka. The statement concluded by reaffirming Kalonzo Musyoka’s unwavering commitment to "justice, truth, and a Kenya that values life and liberty over expediency, money, and power."

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