ODM leader Oburu Oginga has finally come out to show Kenyans that he is still very much alive. For weeks now, rumours have been doing the rounds about his health, with some reports claiming he had been flown abroad and that his condition had worsened. On Thursday, October 15, the Siaya Senator marked his 83rd birthday with a small celebration at the Nairobi Hospital, where he has been receiving treatment.
Photos from the event, which were shared with Kenyans.co.ke, show Oburu in a white hospital gown as he cuts a birthday cake. He was surrounded by his two wives and a group of nurses and hospital staff, all of them smiling and crowding around him for the moment. For many Kenyans who had been worried, the pictures were the first real proof in a long time that the old man is doing better.
The birthday celebration came just over a week after his office dismissed reports about his health as malicious propaganda and fake news. Even so, the family had to keep denying rumours that his condition was getting worse, and the silence from his camp only fed the speculation. Some people had even started asking whether he was still fit to lead the party.
Oburu was also missing from the one-year memorial of his late brother, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, held at Migwena Cultural Grounds in Siaya County. Mama Ida Odinga and ODM deputy leader Simba Arati were among the dignitaries who attended and told the crowd that Oburu was in decent shape. Mama Ida said doctors had given him strict orders to avoid politically charged events while he recovers.
In his birthday message, Oburu thanked the Nairobi Hospital staff for their professionalism and kindness. He also thanked the ODM family, which was represented at the hospital by Trustee Elder Joshua Kawino, for standing with his family during this difficult period.
What made the day more emotional is that Oburu’s birthday falls on the same date his younger brother, Raila, passed away last year. In his message, he said it was a bittersweet day, but also a reminder of the bond between them that distance and death cannot break. For a family that has lost so much in the past year, that link clearly means a lot.
