Amid swirling rumours regarding former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s health, former Cabinet Secretary and senior economic advisor Moses Kuria has publicly defended the Azimio la Umoja leader, dismissing claims that he is secretly undergoing medical treatment abroad.
Taking to his social media platforms on Tuesday, October 7, Kuria condemned those spreading the misinformation, calling it “heartless” and reminding Kenyans that political differences should never erode humanity.
“This pains me to the core. Politics is not everything. I hate you all,” Kuria wrote. “In 2020, during COVID, I was hospitalised for 40 days. Baba Raila Amolo Odinga risked his life and visited me in the hospital.”
Kuria went on to recount more visits from Odinga during a later illness that left him hospitalised for months.
“In late 2021 and early 2022, I was hospitalised for five months. Baba Raila Amolo Odinga visited me three times at Karen Hospital and once in Dubai,” he added, describing Odinga as “a compassionate man” who extended kindness even across political lines.
At the time, Kuria was aligned with Tanga Tanga, the political wing allied to President William Ruto, while Odinga was leading the Azimio coalition. His remarks have been widely interpreted as an appeal for empathy and decency amid growing political polarisation.
Kuria’s defence came just a day after Ida Odinga, the former Prime Minister’s wife, addressed similar speculation during a visit to Migori County. She assured Kenyans that her husband was in good health and had simply travelled abroad for a short break from politics.
“How can people who are not even close to him claim to know more about his health than I do?” she posed to residents, urging the public to ignore baseless rumours.
The ODM Secretariat also issued a statement on Sunday, October 5, confirming that Odinga had travelled out of the country for personal reasons and was not hospitalised, as alleged by some social media users.
“Hon. Raila travelled out of the country on Friday evening, one of the many trips he has made this year. He is not indisposed, as prayed for by his frustrated opponents,” read part of the statement.
ODM’s Director of Communications, Phillip Etale, later reinforced the clarification, revealing that he had personally spoken to Odinga.
“I have just spoken with Raila Odinga, just under five minutes ago. He is jovial and happy,” said Etale. “He told me, ‘I am seeing people spreading propaganda online, let’s keep praying for them.’”
