Oketch Salah, a deeply entrenched confidant of the late Raila Odinga, has fiercely rebuffed allegations of concealing details surrounding the opposition doyen’s final days, lifting the lid on his last political maneuvers.

In the wake of Raila Odinga’s tragic passing at the age of 80 while receiving treatment in India, the political landscape has been rife with conspiracy theories. Now, Oketch Salah is stepping into the spotlight to set the historical record straight.

The statements from Salah are politically explosive, as they attempt to shape the posthumous legacy of Kenya’s most formidable opposition leader. His assertions regarding succession politics and alliances are already sending tremors through the deeply fractured Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

The Final Political Blueprint

Addressing mounting curiosity and suspicion, Salah revealed intimate details of his two-decade-long relationship with the former Prime Minister. He vividly described Odinga as a man who remained jovial and intellectually sharp despite his failing health in the months preceding his fatal trip to India.

Most controversially, Salah claims that before his demise, Raila had made a definitive, albeit private, political calculation: he intended to throw his formidable support behind President William Ruto for the 2027 general elections. This revelation drastically contradicts the public posture of several hardline ODM loyalists who remain staunchly anti-Ruto.

• Raila Odinga passed away at 80 years old while seeking specialized medical care in India.
• Oketch Salah asserts their relationship spanned over 20 years from the foundational days of ODM.
• Salah claims Odinga's final political wish was to back President Ruto in the upcoming 2027 polls.

Navigating Family Dynamics

The emergence of Salah as the narrator of Raila’s final wishes has caused unease, leading to speculation of a rift between him and the powerful Odinga family. However, Salah categorically denies any friction. He insists that he maintains a highly cordial and deeply respectful relationship with Raila’s widow, Ida Odinga, as well as his children Winnie and Junior, and his brother Oburu Oginga.

Echoing Salah’s sentiments for calm, Oburu Oginga recently urged politicians and the public not to read malice into the events surrounding the family’s grief, emphasizing that national unity should supersede political point-scoring during this mourning period.

"This is the only country we have, and if we destroy it because of bad politics over a giant's grave, we will have nowhere else to go."