The late Raila Odinga’s elder brother, Oburu Oginga, has attracted public attention after being spotted at a wedding ceremony just days after the burial of the late opposition leader.
Photos of the event, shared by Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum Opiyo Wandayi on X, ignited heated debate among Kenyans.
Wandayi posted the images on October 25, writing, “Attended a colorful wedding between Ms. Issa Hamza and Mr. Abdinoor Abdi. Senator Dr. Oburu Oginga, the Party Leader of ODM, graced the event alongside other well-wishers. Congratulations, Brother Okech Salah.”
The post showed Oginga, the Siaya senator and brother to the late Odinga, among guests at the colorful ceremony.
The timing of the celebration sparked mixed reactions online, with some Kenyans questioning whether it was appropriate to attend a festive occasion so soon after Raila Odinga’s burial.
Kenyans Reaction
“Wait, it’s been 10 days since Raila was announced dead, and you, along with Oburu, are on a wedding celebrating already? Something is off,” KenyanRebelutionary wrote under Wandayi’s post.
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“Isn’t this the guy who was suddenly beside Baba during his last days? And just a few days after his burial is holding celebrations?”
Others criticized the event, linking it to perceived political opportunism. “Did you tell them that Baba left you in government? Just in case they didn’t hear you clearly last week?” user Githii commented, referring to remarks made by ODM officials during Odinga’s funeral.
Another user, Hammad Jefferson, added, “Oburu is just a caretaker, so you people making it look as if he is the ODM. He can’t be Baba, we need a youthful leader.”
The incident shows the intense public scrutiny surrounding the Odinga family and ODM leadership, particularly in the wake of Raila Odinga’s death.
Every public appearance by senior party figures continues to attract national attention.
End of Mourning Season
The wedding came only days after Oburu officially announced the end of the mourning period for Raila Odinga during a traditional ceremony at the family’s Bondo home.
The event marked the installation of Raila Junior as the new head of the Odinga household.
The highlight of that ceremony was the Luo traditional head-shaving ritual known as liedo, symbolizing the conclusion of mourning and a return to normal life.
The wedding was between Ms. Issa Hamza and Mr. Abdinoor Abdi.
The groom, Abdinoor, is a close associate of businessman Okech Salah, widely known as Raila Odinga’s “adopted son.”
Salah has long been part of Raila’s inner circle and reportedly accompanied him during his medical trips abroad.
Though not biologically related to the Odinga family, Salah is said to have shared a father-son bond with the late ODM leader.
Who Is Oburu Oginga?
Dr. Oburu Oginga Odinga is a Kenyan politician currently serving as the senator for Siaya County and chairperson of the Senate Energy Committee.
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He is the eldest son of Kenya’s first vice president, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, and the brother of Ruth Odinga, Kisumu County Woman Representative, and the late Raila Odinga, former prime minister.
Oburu’s political career began in 1974 when he was elected as a councilor in Kisumu Municipality.
Between 1981 and 1994, he worked as an economist at the Ministry of Planning and National Development before succeeding his father as Member of Parliament for Bondo Constituency in 1994.
He has since remained an influential figure within the Orange Democratic Movement and Luo Nyanza politics.
He also served as the Assistant Minister of Finance in the Grand Coalition government in 2008.
From 2013 to 2017, Dr Oburu served as a nominated Member of Parliament for Bondo Constituency.
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