Kilifi County witnessed a subdued atmosphere on Wednesday as Mining and Blue Economy CS Hassan Joho hosted an event to mark what would have been the late ODM leader Raila Odinga’s 81st birthday.
The celebration, intended as a public tribute, was notably absent of Raila’s immediate family.
Political commentator George Diano claimed that Mama Ida Odinga and the family opted to hold a private ceremony at their Karen residence, deliberately avoiding Joho’s event.
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The move has been interpreted as an effort to keep the late leader’s memory free from political exploitation, especially amid ongoing divisions within the ODM party.
“Mining CS Hassan Joho organized the Kilifi event to celebrate Raila’s legacy, but the Odinga family chose privacy over public fanfare,” the commentator noted. “Mama Ida Odinga appears determined that her husband’s death not be used as a political scorecard.”
The decision comes against a backdrop of internal party discord, which insiders suggest may have contributed to the family’s absence.
Later in the evening, former President Uhuru Kenyatta was expected to visit the Odinga family in Karen, offering condolences and support.
While CS Joho’s Kilifi event went on as scheduled, the absence of the Odinga family sparked discussions among political circles and social media users about the intersection of mourning, loyalty, and political strategy within Kenya’s opposition landscape.