ODM dismisses claims that Raila Odinga is unwell, says he is on routine foreign trip

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has dismissed claims circulating online that its leader, Raila Odinga, is unwell, saying he is on a scheduled foreign trip and remains committed to the principles of a broad-based government.

In a statement on Sunday, the party secretariat spokesperson Dennis Onyango clarified that Odinga left the country on Friday evening for one of his routine trips this year and is not in Europe, contrary to claims circulated by bloggers and picked up by some media outlets.

“Home or away, Hon. Raila remains committed to the ideals of the Broad-Based Government. He remains steadfast in his belief that extreme threats to the nation require extreme compromises in the interest of the nation,” Onyango said.

The party accused the political faction led by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, alongside Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and DAP-K party leader Eugene Wamalwa, of spreading false reports on Odinga’s health.

Onyango described the move as a continuation of what he termed a familiar “campaign of misinformation” aimed at discrediting the ODM leader.

“The political formation of impeached former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and his struggling team of Kalonzo Musyoka and Eugene Wamalwa, among others, are on a familiar campaign of misinformation on the health of former Prime Minister and ODM Party Leader Raila Odinga,” the statement read in part.

According to Onyango, the same group had previously launched an online frenzy against Odinga’s bid for the African Union Commission chairmanship earlier this year. He accused them of working with sections of the media that have been amplifying unverified information and even AI-generated images.

“Gachagua, Kalonzo and co have co-opted sections of the traditional media that are happily picking feeds from bloggers, including AI-generated images and broadcasting them as some kind of investigative Breaking News,” he said.

Onyango dismissed the allegations as an attempt to use Odinga’s name to gain political traction against President William Ruto.

“The hope of this team then and now is to bully Hon. Raila to provide a back for them to ride on in their struggle against President William Ruto,” he added.

The Secretariat also noted that Odinga has always been open about his health, reminding the public that he personally informed Kenyans when he was hospitalised while serving as Prime Minister in 2010 and again when he was diagnosed with Covid-19 in 2021.

“Hon. Raila has a strong tradition of being open and generous with the country on matters of his health. He told the country that he was undergoing a procedure when he was hospitalised as a sitting Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya in June 2010. He told the country that he was diagnosed with Covid and hospitalised as the Opposition leader in 2021. He would do the same today were he to be in the health situation his opponents wish,” Onyango said.

Onyango further stated that Odinga’s current trip was just one among many he has made this year and “definitely not the last,” insisting that claims of illness were unfounded and politically motivated.

“He definitely did not travel to Europe as reported by bloggers and broadcast by some media houses. He is not indisposed, as prayed for by his frustrated opponents,” the party said.

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