By Anderson Ojwang
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has moved to distance itself from the activities of the self-claimed adopted son of the late Raila Odinga, Oketch Salah, terming them personal.
Smarting from last evening’s Linda Comrade event in Nairobi and left with egg on its face, ODM has moved to save face by distancing itself from Salah’s activities.
ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga clarified that any activities, statements or engagements undertaken by Oketch Salah are carried out strictly in his personal capacity and do not represent or bind the party in any way.
Interestingly, Oketch Salah has been conducting the activities in the company of Jaoko Oburu, the second-born son of the party leader, Dr Oburu Oginga. Jaoko was present at the Linda Comrade event.
“All official ODM activities, programmes and engagements are channelled through the party secretariat and are undertaken with the approval and guidance of the party leadership headed by Dr Oburu Odinga,” she wrote.
Yesterday, the Linda Comrade event hosted by Salah and Jaoko at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) ended prematurely after the crowd demanded allowances, forcing the convenors to sneak out of the venue.
Enraged youths burnt party T-shirts and accused Oketch of destroying the party and Raila’s legacy.
“Oketch Salah is destroying the party. What he is doing is not in line with the party ideology and we will not allow him to destroy Raila’s legacy,” said a group of youths.
In a recent interview, Raila’s daughter, Winnie Odinga, said Oketch was a stranger and should either be taken to Mathari or the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters for interrogation.
“I have met Oketch Salah but I would like to believe nobody really knows him. I also feel sad for him. My father died and that was a traumatic experience for me.
At least he died with somebody he knew loved him. And people need to take care of their loved ones.
When you leave here and take Thika Road, you have two options: you either turn right as if you are going to Mathari or to the DCI because a flat lie that you were there at the time of my father’s death when you were not, and talking about things that did not occur, is quite dangerous and makes me question a lot of things. What would be those intentions?
He should be rushed to either Mathari or the DCI with immediate effect,” she said.
Oketch recently claimed on his social media platforms that he is Raila’s adopted son and that he was with him at his deathbed and when he first fell ill.
Even after Winnie disowned Salah, Jaoko Oburu has been criss-crossing the country with Salah meeting ODM delegates. Jaoko went ahead to recognise Salah and even called him “Let me call him Oketch Salah Odinga.”
Last week, speaking in South Rift, Oketch Salah said he was financially prepared to buy out delegates to support the election of Oburu as the party leader at the National Delegates Conference (NDC).
“It is our request to allow Dr Oburu to begin discussions with President William Ruto on the pre-election coalition pact. Do you agree and accept that Dr Oburu, as the party leader, should begin the talks?
When we go to the National Delegates Conference (NDC), all the delegates who are here, if anyone tries to bribe you, just know we have the money. If they try to bribe you, don’t agree. We have the money. Do not be bribed by anyone. If anyone wants to bribe you so that you vote against Dr Oburu, come to me and ask me for money,” he said.
Recently, Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Adhiambo Odinga decried the presence of huge amounts of money in the ODM party, saying it was negating its basic principles and operations.
Ruth wondered where the huge amounts of money currently being used by the party were coming from.
“But we are seeing a situation where a lot of money is flying around, and there appears to be a deliberate approach to commit the ODM party into a coalition agreement more than a year before the next general election.
Where is the money coming from? Is it in the Budget and Appropriations Committee at the National Assembly? I know that the government has not given ODM party money. So where is all the money coming from?” she asked.
Wanga said the party remains committed to order, discipline and structured engagement in the pursuit of its objectives.
