By Anderson Ojwang
In the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga family, the Siaya Senator, Dr Oburu Odinga, has long cut an obscure image, remaining in the shadows of his father and siblings.
While his late brother, Raila Amolo Odinga, rose to national and international stardom, Oburu remained a marginal figure—often least recognised, physically present but absent in the political ranking.
Oburu’s laid-back and aloof positioning was strategic and calculated. He became the family’s Bwana Dawa—the chief negotiator and deal-cutter. For many, he was dismissed as just another of Jaramogi’s sons, while attention remained fixed on Raila, the enigma.
Family Guarded Secret
That is why, during last year’s burial of former Cabinet Minister Dalmas Otieno Anyango, Oburu—overcome by grief—revealed one of the family’s closely guarded secrets.
Oburu, the eldest son of the country’s then fiercest opposition leader, the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, witnessed his father fall out with the founding President, the late Jomo Kenyatta. Jaramogi resigned as the country’s first Vice President and was confined to opposition politics.
He became the father of the country’s opposition and paid dearly, with his son, Raila, imprisoned several times and eventually forced into exile.
The Business Bank Loan and Raila’s Release from Prison
Oburu revealed how he approached Dalmas to help him secure a bank loan, talks that eventually culminated in Raila’s release from prison.
“When Otieno was the Minister for Industry, I went to his office after the 1988 elections. I went to see him for one reason—we were expanding our company, which manufactures domestic gas cylinders called East Africa Spectre Limited.
We wanted to move from the Industrial Estate to our own premises and needed money to expand and build our factory,” he said.
Visit to the Bank
“When I went to the Industrial Development Bank to ask for a loan, I was told, ‘Your father is a politician, and Dalmas must know about the loan application.
I was asked to speak to Otieno because my father was a politician. At the time, I was working with the government as a planning officer based in Mombasa.
I spoke to Dalmas, and he told me President Daniel Moi had to be informed about the loan request,” he said.
The Beginning of the Deal
Oburu said Dalmas advised that they must also speak to the then Permanent Secretary for Provincial Administration, the late Hezekiah Oyugi.
“Dalmas told me we must talk to Oyugi. We did. Oyugi was known to me because we were age-mates. They advised me to ask Jaramogi to make a single statement saying he had no problem with Moi, and everything we wanted would be done.
So I travelled to Kisumu and asked Jaramogi to make a statement saying he had no problem with Moi, and they would secure the loan,” he said.
The Negotiator
“Jaramogi told me, ‘I will make the statement only on the condition that they release Raila Amolo Odinga from prison.’
When I returned, I informed Dalmas and Oyugi of Jaramogi’s condition—that apart from the statement, Raila must be released.
They agreed, informed Jaramogi, and he travelled to Nairobi to issue the statement. Within one week, we had the loan, and Raila was released from prison,” Oburu said.
The Broad-Based Arrangement After Raila
During last year’s ODM at 20 celebrations, Oburu’s niece, Winnie Odinga, called for a National Delegates Conference (NDC) to appoint new leaders to negotiate with President William Ruto.
“When it came to the matter of a broad-based government, the people of ODM entrusted one person with managing that relationship—Baba Raila Amolo Odinga.
That relationship is complicated, and we must ask whether those now managing it are capable. That is not for me to answer, but for the people of ODM. That is why I am asking that we go back to the people through an NDC,” she said.
Oburu did not respond immediately. He waited and chose the burial of his aunt in Alego to respond and reveal the guarded secrets behind the broad-based arrangement.
The Chairman
On Friday, Oburu lifted the lid, declaring that he had been chairing all the broad-based meetings between Raila and President Ruto—making him the chief architect and negotiator of the arrangement.
“Those saying Oburu is not validly elected should come to the NDC. I will call it very soon,” he said.
Oburu said he chaired all broad-based meetings between Ruto and the late Raila.
“Those claiming Oburu does not talk are talking nonsense. I want to make it clear that all meetings of the broad-based arrangement with Ruto were chaired by Oburu Odinga,” he said.
How Oburu Presided Over Cabinet Appointments
Dr Oburu revealed that the meeting which culminated in the appointment of ODM experts to President Ruto’s Cabinet was chaired by him.
He negotiated Cabinet slots and 14 Permanent Secretary positions.
“I chaired the meetings that appointed Opiyo Wandayi, John Mbadi and Hassan Joho to the Cabinet.
We currently have 14 Permanent Secretaries and directors in this government. We entered government by accident after the Gen Z protests shook the administration,” he said.
Secret Committee
Nyakach MP Aduma Owuor revealed that Raila had a three-man committee—consisting of Oburu, Wandayi and himself—which advised him on the broad-based arrangement. It was this committee that informed and drove the process.
