Raila’s adopted son Oketch Salah warns Ruth Odinga against fighting her brother Oburu
The civil war within the house of the late Raila Odinga has exploded into a public feud over family loyalty and political succession.
In a scathing reality check issued on Thursday, February 19, 2026, businessman Oketch Salah – who has risen to national prominence as the late icon’s ‘adopted son’ – launched a fierce defence of the Odinga family’s eldest brother, Oburu Odinga.
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In a direct challenge to Kisumu Women Rep Ruth Odinga, Salah warned that her public fighting with her elder brother is a dangerous game that could lead to her own political ruin.
The core of Salah’s explosive statement was a demand for Ruth to respect the family’s current leadership under Oburu, who has been steering the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) since his brother’s passing.
Salah, who claims Raila personally entrusted him to work with the elder Odinga, slammed Ruth’s recent media appearances as a betrayal of her own blood.
“You should stop fighting your elder brother, who is the current party leader,” Salah stated bluntly in a statement posted on social media.
“Dr. Oburu Odinga 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 added.
Salah also chose to peel back the curtain on his role during Raila’s final medical journey to India. Responding to Ruth’s suggestions that his proximity to Baba was fabricated, Salah claimed he was actually the one who facilitated her final goodbye to her brother.
“For the record, I am the one who convinced Baba to have you join us in India… I am also the one who arranged your business class ticket on Emirates,” Salah revealed, insisting that he has never sought the family’s attention and only spoke to Ruth when she reached out to him.
Despite the family’s previous attempts to distance themselves from him, Salah refused to back down on the most controversial claim of the year: that Raila Odinga intended to endorse President William Ruto for a second term in 2027.
While Raila’s children, Winnie and Raila Junior, have dismissed the claim as ‘nonsense’, Salah insists he held the secret in Raila’s final real and painful moments.
“Baba was clear to me that he intended to endorse President Ruto… I am duty-bound to speak honestly about what he told me, without fear and without seeking permission,” he stated.
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Martin Oduor
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