Ida Odinga tells all about Raila’s health

Raila Odinga, the leader of the Azimio Coalition, has recovered from the illness that caused him to disappear from the public eye during the three-day protests scheduled by his team last week.

Raila’s wife, Ida Odinga, informed the Star on Monday morning that her husband was back on track and going about his business as usual.

“He has recovered well and is out and about conducting his activities. The cold has cleared,” she said briefly when asked about the ODM leader’s whereabouts.

Ida declined to comment on when the former Premier is likely to resurface in public to lead the anti-government campaign, saying she could only address Raila’s health problems.

Today marks exactly two weeks since the former Prime Minister kept a low profile, relying mostly on social media and proxies to deliver his messages.

The ODM leader has been conspicuously missing from platforms where the opposition is engaging wananchi, including press conferences and street demonstrations.

Asked if there could be any other challenge with the former Prime Minister, to explain his long silence, Ida said, “There is nothing to worry about.”

Raila’s absence from the public eye had sparked speculation about his health, with some reports claiming that he had been hospitalized. However, Ida’s statement confirms that Raila was simply recovering from a cold.

Raila’s return to the public eye comes at a time when the opposition is gearing up for another round of protests against the Finance Act, 2023, and to press for electoral reforms. The government has warned the opposition against holding the protests, but Raila has vowed to go ahead with them.

It remains to be seen how the government will respond to the protests, but Raila’s return to the public eye is a sign that he is not backing down from his fight against the government.