A storm has erupted after Winnie Odinga, Member of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) and daughter of the late Raila Odinga, dismissed Oketch Salah’s claims about being with the late Raila Odinga during his final moments, calling the account false and dangerous.
Speaking during an interview on Tuesday, January 27, Winnie said she has met Salah but “nobody really knows him,” and rejected his narrative as a “very big lie.”
Winnie warned that some of the statements made around Raila’s death were alarming and should be handled with urgency.
Oketch Salah Faces Backlash
The Odinga family, led by Raila Odinga Junior, is now distancing itself from Salah and questioning his claims of closeness to the late opposition leader.
“I have met Oketch Salah but I’d like to believe nobody really knows him. A flat-out lie that you were there at the time of my father’s death and you were not and talking about things that did not occur is quite dangerous and makes me question his intentions. He should be rushed to either Mathare or DCI with immediate effect,” Winnie Odinga stated during the interview.
When asked about Oketch Salah’s motive, Winnie Odinga stated that she only sees manipulation by Salah, and his desire to be part of the decision-making in ODM.
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Winnie stated that Raila has been a defender for Kenyans, and people like Salah only want to
“Raila Odinga has been a defender for Kenyans for the past 40 years. ODM has not fulfilled its mandate openly. I am disappointed in Salah, and he should actually show respect for the deceased, “Winnie added.
Raila Odinga Junior has not yet issued a direct public statement on Oketch Salah.
However, Winnie Odinga stated that the Odinga family he leads is firmly distancing itself from Salah’s claims.
Winnie stated that the Odinga family is not facing any internal disputes and added that the family questions why Salah would invent events that never occurred.
Oketch Salah Breaks His Silence
Facing mounting criticism, Oketch Salah issued a public response seeking to explain his position.
In a public post on his official social media accounts, Salah said he would not engage in a direct confrontation with Winnie Odinga out of respect for the family matriarch.
“I watched last night’s interview on Citizen TV with Ivonne Okwara where Winnie spoke about me. Because of the respect I have for Her Excellency the Ambassador, Mama Ida Min Piny from Migori, I chose to remain quiet. That was a deliberate decision.”
Salah, however, maintained that his account was being misunderstood and selectively interpreted.
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He suggested that his closeness to Raila Odinga had been both professional and personal over time, and promised to give a proper response.
“However, some things need clarity. I stand by everything I said about my last moments with Baba. Those moments were real, painful, and lived. I will respond in an interview soon,” Oketch Salah stated.
Salah as Raila’s Son
Salah has spent recent weeks publicly presenting himself as Raila Odinga’s adopted son and long‑time confidant.
He has repeatedly insisted that he was present from the onset of Raila’s illness to his final moments.
In various statements, Salah said there were times he was alone with Raila and a single security officer, helping him during episodes of intense pain.
He described these as lived experiences and said he had private, personal, and political conversations with the late leader, the content of which he would not reveal out of respect.
He has denied that he is seeking sympathy or political mileage.
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