East African Legislative Assembly legislator, Oburu Odinga's son, Jaoko Oburu Odinga has revealed how his father had to fundraise in order to send him to school.
Speaking on TV47, during a panel discussion, Jaoko stated that his father did not have the means to send him to school in Canada, before turning to a Harambee.
Jaoko, on Thursday, June 16, explained that he had secured an invite to study in India but he was not interested since he had set his eyes on a school in Canada.
He stated that during his time in Canada he had to work as a cleaner at a restaurant in Canada to make ends meet.
Jaoko noted that people have called his family a dynasty due to his grandfather, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga's early entry into politics and playing a vital role in shaping the country, claiming that he never amassed wealth.
He maintained that his kin had to work hard and the dynasty tag that allies of Deputy President, William Ruto, have branded them is false.
"The fallacy that we are a dynasty (Jaramogi Oginga family) is not true. My dad wanted me to go to India for my degree as that is what he could afford but I insisted on Canada.
"We had a Harambee to raise money and when I went to Canada, I cleaned pots to survive," Jaoko stated during the interview.
In Canada, as he pursued a Bachelor of Commerce degree majoring in Accounting and Finance. At that time, he learnt that life was not easy and sometimes he had to live on bread and water for weeks.
In a past interview, Jaoko spoke on their upbringing and he revealed that he and his siblings grew up with the knowledge that a loose tongue could land their parents in trouble since their uncle Raila Odinga was already detained by the late President Daniel Moi's regime.
He graduated with honours in 1997 – the year Kenyans were heading into a general election under President Moi.
Jaoko dismissed the Dynasty versus Hustler narrative pushed by DP Ruto and he opined that it will end up creating deep divisions.
“We have worked hard and one of our hallmarks is integrity and dignity. Whatever we have, we have earned through the sweat of our brows,” he stated during a past interview.
