Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has questioned the nature of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s health status and his medical holiday in an undisclosed foreign country.
In an interview with KTN on Sunday, October 5, Gachagua challenged Raila to come clean on his health status, dismissing a letter issued by his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party secretariat that sought to explain Raila’s health situation.
According to Gachagua, the only way Raila could provide clarity and certainty over his health condition was through optics, and not letters, a move that he described as ‘amateurish.’
He urged Raila to borrow a leaf from former President, the late Daniel Arap Moi, on how he handled rumours of his health when he was the Head of State. Gachagua noted that Moi would publicly participate in several activities and quell any murmurs suggesting he was unwell.
“If a leader is said to be unwell, and he is well, you just ignore and go on with life. If you feel that the rumours are bothering you, and you need to tell people that you are well, you do not need to write a letter. All you need to do is participate in a few activities here and there, and people will see that you are well, and the rumours will end,” he noted.
“President Moi used to do it that way. He would disappear for five or six days, then people would say he is sick. But then he would turn up at KICC, do a brisk walk from KICC to Harambee House, and the matter would just end,” Gachagua stated.
The former deputy argued that by issuing a statement that did not explicitly reveal the whereabouts of Raila, ODM had fueled more speculation on their party leader’s condition.
Even so, Gachagua maintained that he was hoping Raila would have good health in the 2027 General Election, so that the United Opposition would have the opportunity of beating both Raila and President William Ruto in the polls.
“My prayer is that God gives Raila long life and good health. I pray to God that he supports William Ruto so that we defeat both of them in 2027,” he noted.
The United Opposition & Raila's Health
Gachagua’s sentiments came after a back-and-forth between ODM and Wiper, with the two trading barbs over reports of Raila’s deteriorating health. In a statement on Sunday, ODM dismissed claims that Raila was indisposed, insisting that a public communication would have been made if he had been ill.
In the statement, the ODM Secretariat accused the United Opposition, led by Gachagua, of starting the unfounded rumours for political gain.
"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.
It even accused the opposition of co-opting sections of mainstream media that are allegedly picking feeds from bloggers, including AI-generated images, and broadcasting them as investigative reporting.
Responding to ODM, Wiper, under the leadership of Kalonzo Musyoka, dismissed the allegations, describing the claims as "baseless, desperate, and a distraction from ODM’s own internal chaos and political decay."
"Let it be stated clearly, H.E. Kalonzo Musyoka harbours no ill will whatsoever toward Mr Odinga. The two Leaders share a long, public history of cooperation and mutual respect," a statement from Wiper's Secretary General Shakila Aballa said.
Raila’s prolonged absence from the public eye and the recent postponement of ODM’s 20th anniversary celebrations ignited reports that his health was failing, providing a huge talking point in the country’s political space.
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