A fresh political storm has erupted between the Wiper Democratic Movement and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) over claims regarding Raila Odinga’s health and recent travels.
In a strongly worded statement on Sunday, October 5, Wiper dismissed ODM’s allegations that Kalonzo Musyoka, Eugene Wamalwa, and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua were behind falsehoods about Raila’s health for political gain.
Wiper’s Secretary General, Shakila Aballa, termed ODM’s claims as “baseless, desperate, and a distraction from the party’s internal chaos and political decay.” She emphasized that Kalonzo Musyoka holds no ill will toward Raila, citing their long history of political cooperation and mutual respect.
“Any suggestion that H.E. Kalonzo Musyoka wishes harm upon Mr. Odinga is malicious, reckless, and utterly false,” Aballa said. “ODM’s attempt to drag him into its internal confusion is a weak distraction from the cracks splitting the so-called Broad-Based Government they now defend so blindly.”
Earlier, Raila’s spokesperson Dennis Onyango clarified that the ODM leader had indeed travelled abroad on Friday but denied reports that he had gone to Europe for treatment. Onyango added that any serious health concerns would have been publicly communicated, as had been done in the past.
In its rejoinder, Wiper accused ODM of using Kalonzo as a scapegoat to mask tensions within the Broad-Based Government and of diverting attention from Raila’s “political missteps” and “diplomatic blunders,” particularly after his unsuccessful bid for the African Union Commission chairmanship.
The war of words marks a significant escalation in tensions between the two former allies. Meanwhile, speculation over Raila’s whereabouts intensified after ODM postponed its 20th anniversary celebration in Mombasa from October 10–12 to November 14–16.
