Siaya Senator Dr. Oburu Oginga has revealed that his late brother and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga was battling a blood clot in his head before he passed away while receiving treatment in India.
Speaking during an interview on NTV on Sunday night, Oburu disclosed that doctors in Nairobi had detected the clot and placed Raila on strong medication, forcing him to retreat from public appearances weeks before his death.
“It was some clot that was discovered on his head, and it was being dissolved by our doctors here in Nairobi,” Oburu said.
He explained that the medication made Raila weak, prompting him to skip several public functions, including the burial of former minister Dalmas Otieno in Migori, where Oburu represented him. The ODM Party also cancelled its planned 20th anniversary celebrations around the same time.
“I went to represent him there because he was feeling weak and tired due to that kind of medication,” he added.
Meeting with President Ruto Led to Evacuation to India
Oburu also revealed that a crucial meeting at Raila’s Karen home, attended by President William Ruto and himself, led to the decision to fly the ODM leader abroad for further treatment.
He said there had been a disagreement between Kenyan doctors and medical specialists in Dubai regarding Raila’s health condition, which necessitated the President’s intervention.
“My brother told me that Ruto had gone to the United Nations General Assembly and would meet him afterward. When Ruto came, we met at Raila’s home, discussed his condition thoroughly, and agreed he needed to leave immediately,” Oburu recounted.
President Ruto then arranged a chartered flight that evacuated Raila to Mumbai, India for specialized treatment.
“The President took the matter seriously and organised for his evacuation. I am very grateful to him for what he did. His quick reaction made it possible for us to move that fast,” Oburu said.
In Mumbai, doctors successfully cleared the clot, and Raila’s condition reportedly improved.
“When he went to India, they managed to clear the clot in Mumbai. By the time he left the hospital, he was up and about, alive and kicking,” he added.
After being discharged, Raila travelled to Kerala, Southern India, where he was recuperating before his untimely death.
Oburu Condemns Political Remarks
Dr. Oburu, who described Raila as his “twin” due to their close bond despite an age difference of just over a year, criticized Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga’s comments on Raila’s death, calling them “childish and disrespectful.”
