Oketch Salah clarifies when and how Raila made him his adopted son
By Charles Ouma, January 30, 2026Oketch Salah has explained how he came to refer to himself as Raila Odinga’s adopted son, detailing how the former Prime Minister embraced him and gave him a special assignment.
Speaking in West Pokot County on Friday, January 30, 2026, Oketch detailed his relationship with the departed leader, citing when Raila referred to him as his adopted son when entrusting him with the assignment of delivering his eulogy and speech at the burial service of Dalmas Otieno on October 2, 2025, which was less than two weeks before Raila’s death on October 15, 2025.
He detailed that Odinga tasked him with reading his speech, while Oburu Oginga was assigned to read the speech of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga’s family.
“Kuna ile wakati alinipa barua Kwenda kusoma kwa mazishi ya Otieno Dalmas…nilimuuliza hii barua nitasoma kama nani kule,” Salah said.
What Raila said
Salah claimed that Raila told him that he would read the speech as his adopted son, a name that he embraced and has been using since then.
“Doctor Oburu alipewa barua ya familia ya Jaramogi na mimi akanipea yake binafsi akaniambia you go there as my adopted son. So hiyo maneno nio ikakuwa hapo lakini mimi yule ni baba yangu kama vile ni baba ya kila mtu hapo.
This loosely translates to: “Oburu was given the message forthe Jaramogi family while I was assigned the one for Raila, who told me that I would deliver it as his adopted son. That is how it unfolded, but Raila was my father just as he was to everyone here”.
According to him, Raila adopted more than 20 million Kenyans who fondly referred to him as baba.
“Raila ameadopt Wakenya zaidi ya milioni ishirini ndio maana anaitwa baba.So adoption, ya baba ni ya wakenya wote wale wanaopenda wote ni adopted sons and daughters wa Raila Odinga (Raila has adopted more than 20 million Kenyans and it is for that reason that he is known as baba. His adoption is for all who love him, as they are all his sons and daughters),” he added.
He also claimed that Raila was his mentor, and by virtue of being a leader, he was his father, citing both the Bible and the Quran.
“Raila ni mentor wangu, supporter wangu, baba wa kila mtu hapa nchini vile katika Quran na Bibilia ukiwa leader unakuwa baba wa kila mtu,” he said.
Oketch Salah speaks on his background
On his background, Salah said that he was born and raised in Migory in a family that does business.
“Mimi ni mzaliwa wa Migori, numelelewa huko katika familia ya kibiashara. So sijalishwa kwa familia ya babangu Raila. Nimelishwa na babangu Salah. (I was born and raised in Migori in a family that does business. I wasn’t raised in Raila’s family, I was raised by my father, Salah,” he added.
This comes days after Winnie Odinga slammed him for claiming he had private conversations with Raila before his death.