Businessman Oketch Salah has hit back at Kisumu Women Representative Ruth Odinga said he does not know him well and has only met him three times.
In an update on Thursday, February 19, Salah said he has never forced himself into the life of the Kisumu Women Representative or sought her attention.
Salah noted that he only had a relationship with the late Raila Odinga and that it had no connection to any other member of the Odinga family.
“Let me be clear from the outset: if you do not wish to associate with me, that is entirely your choice. I have never forced myself into your life, and I have never sought your attention.
“My relationship was with your late brother, Baba, and that relationship stood on its own. It had nothing to do with any other member of the family,” read the statement in part.
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The businessman went on to say he was the one who convinced the late Raila to allow Ruth to fly to India
Salah mentioned that he arranged business class tickets for the Kisumu Women Rep to fly to India to join them.
“For the record, I am the one who convinced Baba to have you join us in India, after Jeff Oyier called him several times, saying that you wanted to come. I am also the one who arranged your business class ticket on Emirates,” he stated.
Salah revealed that the reason he left India earlier was because the former Prime Minister asked him to travel back to Kenya to conclude arrangements for his son’s wedding.
According to the businessman, he was supposed to meet Raila again in Dubai, but he passed away.
“The only reason I returned earlier was because Baba personally asked me to go back to Kenya to conclude my son’s wedding, which had been postponed several times due to his health. I was supposed to meet Baba again in Dubai on Thursday, after his arrival from Kerala,” he disclosed.
Salah described himself as self-sufficient and independent, asserting that his work for ODM was done at Baba Odinga’s request and not personal ambition.
“I come from a well-established business family. I am self-sufficient, and you know this. Whatever I have done for ODM was not driven by personal interest; it was done at Baba’s request,” he said.
He also reaffirmed the late Odinga’s vision for the party. “ODM does not belong to you, or to me, or to any one family. If it does, then let that be stated openly, and I will step away without hesitation. Baba spent more than 20 years building ODM into a national party. It belongs to the people of Kenya, from every part of this country,” Salah said.
At the same time, Salah asked Ruth to allegedly stop fighting her elder brother and ODM party leader Oburu Odinga.
“I also say this with respect: you should stop fighting your elder brother, who is the current party leader. Oburu did not simply assume a position; he carries a responsibility, and Baba entrusted me, in good faith, to work with him. If you allow your elder brother to be put on the chopping board today, do not be surprised if tomorrow it is your turn,” he concluded.
Addressing questions around his statements on Baba Odinga’s political intentions, Salah said he would not retract his words.
“The only times you and I have ever spoken or met are the times you reached out to me. Regarding what I have said about Baba’s views on the broad-based government and support for His Excellency President William Samoei Ruto’s second term, I will not retract my words. Baba was clear to me that he intended to endorse President Ruto for a second term. I am duty-bound to speak honestly about what he told me, without fear, without distortion and without seeking permission from anyone,” he said.
Salah also recounted his presence during Baba Odinga’s final moments, describing them as deeply personal and painful.
“Finally, I say this with a heavy heart: I am the one who spent most of Baba’s final moments with him. Those moments were real, painful and deeply personal. I will not allow that truth to be erased or turned into political theatre,” he said.
This comes after Ruth, in an interview with a local TV station, said she has only met Salah on three occasions, adding that she does not wish to engage in discussions about him.
She dismissed claims that he was close to the Odinga family, stating, “I really don’t know him that well, but I am surprised he is one of the people who speaks and says that he knows me. In my whole life, I have met Salah three times.”
She urged him to respect the family’s privacy, saying, “If he were my brother’s friend or adopted son, as he claims, I would like to ask him to please give us space as a family to be a family.”
The Kisumu Women Rep also declared that Salah has no role in the ODM and should not speak on behalf of the party.
The clash between the two comes a day after Dennis Onyango, who was the late Raila’s aide, revealed that Salah was the former Prime Minister’s friend.
Speaking on Tuesday, February 17, Onyango said everyone who worked around Raila knows Salah.
He disclosed that the former Prime Minister was with Salah on his last day in Kenya before departing for India, and that they left together.
“Everyone who worked around Raila knows Oketch Salah. I met him, travelled with him, and he was Raila’s friend. Why they were friends, I don’t know.
“On the final day when Raila was leaving for India, we were with Oketch Salah at Raila’s home in Karen, he brought a phone, and they left. While in India, I spoke to Raila directly on his phone and also through Salah’s phone,” said Onyango.
