ODM leader Oburu Oginga made his first public appearance since being hospitalized, and he chose a special day to do it. He turned 83 on the same day that marks one year since his younger brother, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, died.
Pictures shared online show the veteran politician seated at a round table as a crowd gathered around him. He wore a white coat over a light blue shirt and smiled as a lady in a colourful jacket helped him cut a rectangular cake decorated with yellow and green flowers.
Several people stood close by, clapping and laughing. The setting looked like a hospital, and the people around him appeared to be the staff who had looked after him during his stay.
In his message, Oburu said the day carried mixed feelings for him. He said it was a joy to be alive and to celebrate with people who had cared for him, but it was also hard to ignore the sad memory of losing Raila.
The two brothers were very close, and for many Kenyans, the Oginga family name has always been tied to the long struggle for democracy and change in the country.
Many Kenyans took to social media to wish the ODM leader good health and a long life. Some said it was good to see him looking strong again, while others remembered Raila and said the family was still in their prayers.
Political supporters have been keeping a close watch on Oburu since he was admitted, and this first photo op is likely to calm many of them.
Details about his health and when he will return to full public duties have not been fully shared. Still, on a day filled with both happiness and sadness, the old man's smile at the cake table said a lot about his strength and his faith in better days ahead.
0 Comments