Concerns over Raila Odinga’s health have continued to circulate online in recent days, forcing the Orange Democratic Movement to respond firmly to what it described as false and politically motivated claims.
The party moved quickly to clear the air on Sunday morning, assuring Kenyans that its leader was in good health and not receiving medical treatment abroad as some reports had suggested.
In the statement, Raila’s office clarified that he had indeed travelled out of the country on Friday, but not to Europe as claimed by several media outlets. It explained that the former Prime Minister’s trip was one of his many engagements this year and that if he had been unwell, the public would have been officially informed just as in the past.
“Hon. Raila travelled out of the country on Friday evening—one of the many trips he has made this year, and definitely not the last,” the statement read.
“He definitely did not travel to Europe as reported by bloggers and broadcast by some media houses. He is not indisposed, as prayed for by his frustrated opponents.”
ODM accused the United Opposition, led by the impeached former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, of being behind the circulation of rumours about Raila’s health.
The party claimed that Gachagua, together with Kalonzo Musyoka and Eugene Wamalwa, were using misinformation to stir unnecessary political tension. According to ODM, the claims were part of an ongoing strategy by the opposition to discredit Raila’s leadership and distract the public from national issues.
The statement went further to criticize sections of the mainstream media for allegedly echoing unverified stories sourced from bloggers.
The party said that some news outlets had even used AI-generated images to support their claims, turning speculation into what appeared to be factual reporting.
ODM condemned such actions as irresponsible and misleading, warning that this kind of reporting could misinform citizens and damage the credibility of journalism in the country.
Raila’s disappearance from the public eye over the past two weeks had fueled growing speculation, with many wondering about his whereabouts.
On Friday, October 4, The Star newspaper carried a front-page headline titled “Where Is Raila?”, a move that further intensified public debate.
Despite the chatter, ODM maintained that its leader was fine and would continue with his duties as usual.
Meanwhile, the party’s much-anticipated 20th anniversary celebrations were postponed from October 10–12 to November 14–16.
The organizing committee stated that the postponement had nothing to do with Raila’s absence but was meant to give the team more time to enhance inclusivity.
In its explanation, the committee said, “After careful consideration, the Party Leader graciously agreed to our request to expand the program and ensure inclusivity by engaging with more counties before converging in Mombasa for the grand celebrations.”
The statement appears aimed at putting to rest ongoing speculation while assuring ODM supporters that Raila Odinga remains active and focused on party affairs despite the circulating rumours.
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