ODM party leader Oburu Oginga’s family has moved to calm growing public anxiety, insisting he is in good health and is only taking a much-needed break in Dubai after an emotionally and politically draining period following the death of his younger brother, Raila Odinga.
In a detailed clarification, his son Jaoko Oburu explained that the decision for Oburu to travel was a collective family push, not a medical emergency, amid swirling rumours on social media suggesting otherwise.
“It’s been a beehive of activity for the family, and especially now, our leader, the Honorable Dr. Oburu Oginga,” Jaoko said in a video message shared online.
“We’ve had functions all over the place to condole with our people, the population of wananchi, for Baba, in Homa Bay, in Migori, and everywhere. And we also had ODM at 20.”
Since Raila’s death in October, Oburu has carried enormous political and family responsibilities, overseeing funeral arrangements, meeting supporters across the country, and later presiding over the ODM @20 celebrations, where he was formally unveiled as party leader.
Jaoko said that in the rush to manage national mourning and party affairs, the family realised Oburu had barely had time to process his own grief.
“We realized that the party leader had not even had a minute to mourn his own brother,” he explained.
“Therefore, as a family, we really insisted that he needed a break, which we made sure that last week, on Thursday, he took this break and went to Dubai. He didn’t want to go very far.”
He stressed that Oburu’s trip was not driven by a health scare.
“Hakuenda na shida yoyote,” Jaoko assured supporters. “We took mzee to go and rest. We forced him… we forced him that he has to take a break.”
According to the family, the ODM leader is expected back in the country after a short stay.
“He’s there, he’ll be back tomorrow,” Jaoko said, adding that the brief time away was meant to allow him to recollect, recharge, and reset” after weeks of intense political and emotional pressure.
However, even as Oburu takes time off, the family has been struck by yet another loss.
“Unfortunately, again, we’ve had another loss in the family,” Jaoko revealed.
“We have our aunt, our beloved aunt, who is the fifth born in my father’s family. She’s known as Beryl Achieng Odinga. We lost her yesterday, in the early afternoon.”
The double strain of national expectations and private grief has put the Odinga family under intense public scrutiny, with Oburu’s every move analysed for political meaning.
Some online commentators had speculated that his Dubai trip was prompted by serious illness or internal ODM power struggles.
But the family has been categorical that the ODM boss is well and will return to continue leading the party.
An earlier statement from his sister Ruth Odinga also framed the trip as a normal, necessary pause:
“ODM Party Leader Oburu Oginga has travelled to Dubai for a three-day visit to rest following a hectic political period,” Ruth said, noting his non-stop schedule since Raila’s death and the ODM anniversary event.
On social media, an X post linked to Oburu’s camp echoed the same message of reassurance: “Feeling grateful for good health and high spirits. Taking a short sabbatical to recollect, recharge, and reset.”
As debates over ODM’s future and succession politics continue, the Oburu family is urging Kenyans to see this moment not as a crisis, but as a human pause.
For them, the short getaway is less about strategy and more about allowing “mzee” a rare moment of rest, and space to mourn a brother who was also the political giant at the centre of their lives.
