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| ODM party leader Raila Odinga with nominated mp Oburu Odinga catch up before the start of ODM PG meeting at the party headquarters (Photo Tabitha Otwori) |
Had he completed building his house in Bondo, and had he officially “entered” the house after partaking in the mandatory traditional rituals, Fidel Castro Odinga would have been laid to rest in his own compound, next to his father’s farm in Opoda, Siaya County.
But as fate would have it and despite his financial muscle, Fidel, who was a wealthy businessman in the petroleum industry, just never managed to complete erecting his rural home by the time of his death.
This is precisely why he was laid to rest next to his grandfather, Kenya’s first Vice President Jaramogi Adonija Oginga Odinga, in accordance with dictates of Luo traditions.
That the body of Fidel, whom family members confess was regarded by Jaramogi as a favourite grandchild, now lies next to that of the famous political leader, is a curious coincidence. An apparent political heir to his father — Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) leader and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga — Fidel was third in the lineage of the Jaramogi dynasty.
Political asset
Roundly hailed by many, including President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto as a sociable individual whose relationships cut across the political and ethnic divide, Fidel was a crucial political asset and linkman of the Odingas. In fact to many, Fidel was perhaps an easier political candidate to sell to the rest of Kenyans as compared to his grandfather and father.
His re-union, in death, with his grandfather now poses a major political challenge to the Odingas. With the exit of Fidel, who will be the third generation bearer of the mantle of one of Kenya’s most political families?
With regard to the male gender, only Raila Odinga Jnr remains in the former Premier’s political stable. And although he was named after his father, the younger Raila has very little in common with the Orange party leader in terms of political interest. Family members describe Junior as reclusive but a perfect gentleman who shies away from controversy. He is totally disinterested in politics.
Within the family of Raila’s elder brother, Dr Oburu Oginga, there are three male children. There is Dick, a Kisumu-based businessman who deals in the transport and farming sectors, as well as Elija, who is also embedded in business. The two are believably contented with business and have little interest in politics.
There is a third one, though, Jack Oburu, who was briefly involved in his uncle’s presidential campaign in 2013. Popularly known among friends as Jaoko, he played a key role in Raila’s campaigns where he served as one of the leaders of the Friends of Raila (Fora) lobby group.
Jaoko disappeared from the political radar soon after Jubilee’s candidate, Uhuru Kenyatta, was declared President. The Standard On Sunday has, however, traced Raila’s nephew to the Siaya County Government where he works as an investment advisor.
In the absence of Fidel, pundits opine that Jaoko stands out as the sole politically-minded grandson in the wider Jaramogi family. But if the net is cast wider to include granddaughters, family members point to Raila’s last born daughter, Winnie, as an emerging political force.
“Winnie has been very close to Fidel and she has learnt the ropes of the trade. Amekuwa ni mtu wa mkono wa Fidel kisiasa (She has been Fidel’s aide in political matters),” says an aide of the former PM, who did not wish to be named.
According to the aide, Winnie “is the only one who openly tells Jakom (Raila) to his face whenever she feels something is wrong or somebody is offering advice she considers misleading.”
Winnie, who sits at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation, recently graduated from Drexel University in Philadelphia, US, with a degree in political science. Her elder sister, Rosemary, is equally an active political operator, having played a pivotal role at the ODM’s presidential campaign headquarters in 2007.
Dirty game
Besides the grandchildren, Jaramogi’s own children have grown up in politics. The former PM, who alongside Jaramogi registered political history of father and son sitting in the same Parliament, is currently the most famous of the Odingas. His elder brother, Dr Oburu, has also been in Parliament since the demise of his father in 1994.
And then there is Ruth Odinga, the Deputy Governor of Kisumu, as well as Isaac Omondi, a former Kisumu town councilor, whose political fortunes have since plummeted, probably because of associating with his elder brother’s political rivals.
The political bug, however, did not catch up with the rest of the late Jaramogi’s children.
Born in 1912, Jaramogi married five wives, Mary Ajuma, Gaudentia and a third one known to the family and neighbours only as Nyar Uyoma. Becky and Saulina were his fourth and fifth wives. His first wife, Ajuma, bore him nine children namely Oburu, Ralia, the late Agola, Wenwa, Beryl, Ruth, the late Odima, Osewe and Adhiambo. Walkowa, Miriam and Jaramogi Jnr are Mama Gaudentia’s children, while Nyar Uyoma is mother to Omondi and Nyangi. Becky’s children include Polyne, Odongo, Opiyo and Aquino.
The story of how the Odingas embraced politics is most intriguing. After falling out with President Jomo Kenyatta in 1967, Odinga was hounded out of government and placed under detention. His sons faced similar fate for fighting against the establishment, with Raila getting jailed for nine years.
Chained in all corners and denied employment opportunities, the only avenue for the Odingas was to fight the system for political emancipation. Ideally that is how Raila and his siblings found their way into the “dirty game”.
