A new chapter has opened in the saga surrounding the estate of Fidel Odinga, the late son of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, as his ex-wife has stepped forward to claim financial assets he left behind, currently held by a local bank.
The claim was initiated by Lwam Getachew Bekele, Fidel’s widow, who applied to be appointed the administrator of his unclaimed finances, according to a public notice issued by the Unclaimed Financial Assets Authority (UFAA) on Friday, October 17.
Fidel Odinga’s name was listed among individuals whose assets have a proposed acting administrator. An administrator is a person legally appointed to manage the wealth and assets of a deceased individual.
A Race Against Time
The UFAA has now triggered a 30-day public notice period, calling for any person with a legitimate counterclaim to come forward. “Unless an objection to the claims is lodged at the offices of the Authority… within thirty (30) days from the date hereof, payment will be made to the aforementioned person,” the notice stated.
This means that if no one successfully objects to Getachew Bekelle’s application within the next month, the authority will release the assets to her.
Complex Marital History Adds Intrigue
The claim brings Fidel’s complex personal life back into the spotlight. He married his Eritrean partner, Lwam Bekele, in a 2012 ceremony attended by close family and friends. The couple welcomed a child in 2013. However, their union was short-lived, and they announced their divorce barely two years after the lavish wedding.
Before his marriage to Bekele, Fidel was initially married to Veronica Wanjiru. It remains unclear whether he remarried following his 2014 divorce from Bekele.
Tragic and Mysterious Passing
Fidel Odinga, then 42, was found dead at his Nairobi home in January 2015. His sudden and mysterious death sparked minor protests in Nairobi and his family’s stronghold of Kisumu. At the time of his passing, he was widely considered a potential political successor to his father, the veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga.
The Legal Path for an Administrator
The process for Getachew Bekelle to gain control of the assets is not automatic. As a proposed administrator, she must first follow a specific legal procedure. This includes filling out requisite forms and, critically, obtaining a “letter of no objection” from the other beneficiaries of Fidel Odinga’s estate.
The UFAA’s notice serves as the final legal hurdle, ensuring all potential heirs or creditors have an opportunity to contest the application before the assets are permanently handed over.
The coming weeks will determine whether Fidel Odinga’s unclaimed financial legacy will be entrusted to his ex-wife or if a new claimant will emerge to challenge her.
