Oburu Oginga Recovering Well After Nairobi Hospital Visit, Wanga Says

Siaya Senator and senior ODM figure Dr Oburu Oginga is recovering well after receiving medical attention at Nairobi Hospital, according to ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga.

Wanga said she visited Oburu at the hospital and found him in good spirits and optimistic about his recovery. Her update is expected to ease concerns that had circulated on social media following reports of his hospital admission.

Oburu’s health became a subject of public discussion after reports emerged that he had been admitted to hospital. ODM officials, however, said there was no emergency and that the senator was receiving routine medical care.

ODM Communications Director Philip Etale said Oburu’s visit to hospital was for a 

medical assessment, adding that regular check-ups were expected given his age. He dismissed reports that the veteran politician had been rushed to hospital, saying the situation had been exaggerated by some media reports and online commentators.

Etale also said Oburu would temporarily step back from day-to-day political activities to allow him time to recover. He stressed that the break should not be interpreted as a withdrawal from ODM leadership or party affairs.

The update on Oburu’s health comes as ODM and Raila Odinga’s supporters prepare for a series of events marking one year since the former Prime Minister’s death. October has been designated “Mwezi wa Baba”, a month-long programme dedicated to commemorating Raila’s life, political career and contribution to Kenya.

The commemorations will culminate in a major event on October 7, when President William Ruto is expected to lead the official commissioning of Raila’s mausoleum at Kang’o Ka Jaramogi in Bondo, Siaya County. The ceremony is expected to bring together political leaders, members of Raila’s family, political allies and members of the public from across the country.

Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage Cabinet Secretary Hannah Cheptumo said the mausoleum should be viewed as a national historical site rather than only a memorial to Raila. She said it would help preserve the memory of his life and provide future generations with an opportunity to learn about his role in Kenya’s history.

The monument was completed with the involvement of the Kenya Defence Forces and is expected to be placed under the management of the National Museums of Kenya. The arrangement will bring the site into the country’s formal heritage system and provide for its conservation, documentation and interpretation.

Cheptumo said Raila’s legacy extended beyond electoral politics and included his role in Kenya’s democratic development, constitutional reforms and national debates on governance and identity. Raila spent decades in public life and became one of the country’s most prominent political figures. His career included periods in government and opposition, as well as a central role in political and constitutional debates that shaped modern Kenya.

The establishment of the mausoleum provides a permanent site where his life and political contribution can be documented and preserved as part of the country’s history. As the commemorations proceed, Oburu’s recovery also allows ODM to retain one of its most senior figures during a significant period for the party.