Behind Raila’s stay in India was his personal doctor and “adopted son”, Salah Oketch, who has been captured in surfacing photos of Raila Odinga while in India.
Dr Stephen Salah Oketch is the personal medic and close associate of the late Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga.
Oketch accompanies Baba abroad mainly to help foreign doctors find his veins.
Notably, Salah Oketch represented Raila Odinga at the burial of Dalmus Otieno, since at the time of Dalmus Otieno’s passing, Raila Odinga was already in India receiving treatment, so it was Salah Oketch who travelled back to Kenya to represent Raila at the funeral.
About Salah Oketch Career
Although he is referred to as a doctor, he reportedly has no formally verified medical background but practices medicine by talent and passion.
Salah Oketch has been responsible for Raila Odinga’s medical treatment abroad, including during his stays in Dubai and India.
In addition to his human medicine practice, Oketch has a notable reputation for animal health.
He has performed complex surgeries on animals, including three successful brain surgeries on hippopotamuses in Muhuru Bay and a heart surgery on a hyena in Seme.
Additionally, he is credited for stopping the spread of the coronavirus among animals in the Serengeti and Maasai Mara National parks, and for upgrading the Raboral VRG vaccine, all done using pure talent, not textbooks.
Moreover, he is recognised as the adopted son of Raila Odinga because of his close and personal relationship with the late leader.
Salah Oketch Speaks Out About His Relationship with Raila
Speaking to a local media, Oketch Salah shared heartfelt memories of his relationship with the late Raila Odinga, describing him as a man who “saw beyond bloodlines.”
According to Salah, Raila welcomed him into his home and family years ago, providing not only shelter and education but also unwavering emotional support.
“He was more than a political icon to me he was a father who cared about my dreams, guided my path, and believed in my potential,” Salah said.
Lessons from Baba
Salah recalled countless conversations with Raila about leadership, patience, and public service.
Also Read: Meet the GSU Officer Who Once Guarded Raila in Prison and Later Became MP
“He taught me to never give up on what is right, even when it’s unpopular,” he said.
“He believed that leadership was about sacrifice, not status.”
He added that Raila’s mentorship shaped his worldview and career, noting that the former Prime Minister instilled in him a deep sense of patriotism and disciplined values that continue to guide him today.
“Baba was firm but kind. He had a way of correcting you with love. Even in his busiest moments, he would check in, ask about school, and remind me to stay humble,” Salah reflected.
“He raised me not just as a son but as a servant of Kenya,” Dr Salah said softly. “And that, to me, is the greatest inheritance of all,” he added.
Salah Oketch Mourns Raila
On his social media platforms and even speaking to various sources, Salah mourned the late prime minister, acknowledging him as his mentor and close associate.
“I stood before your casket, Baba, not in sorrow alone but in gratitude, for a life that changed ours forever. Rest well, my mentor,” he shared after posting a photo of him giving his last honours to Raila while the late’s body lay in the parliamentary building.
Also Read: Meet Raila Odinga’s Aide Who Was with Him Last Moments Before He Collapsed
Salah Oketch shared recent memories of him with the late Prime Minister Raila Odinga, including a video of them having fun moments and dancing to a Luo song.
“This dance with you, Baba, was pure joy……your moves, your laughter, your spirit so alive. It’s hard to accept that you’re no longer with us,” Salah shared.
“My heart is heavy,” he mourned.
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