Kenya’s opposition Chief recovers from Covid-19

By Samuel Ouma

Kenya’s former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has tested negative for the coronavirus.

His Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party made this revelation through a statement posted on Twitter.

“We are happy our Party Leader Raila Odinga tested negative and is out of danger of Covid-19. We thank God for that. God bless him, God bless Kenya,” said the statement duly signed by the party’s Director of Communication Philip Etale.

Raila was admitted to Nairobi Hospital on March 10 after a five-day tour of the coast region to popularize the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).  Later, he revealed he tested positive for the deadly disease and proceeded to self-isolation in his Nairobi home.

The statement was followed by a meeting that brought together the opposition leader and the ODM top leadership comprising of John Mbadi (ODM chairman), June Mohammed (National Assembly Minority Whip), Edwin Sifuna (Secretary-General), Timothy Bosire (Treasurer), and Gladys Wanga (member of the top leadership of ODM).

They deliberated on the recent developments in the East Africa nation, the ongoing Covid-19 vaccination, and the country's economy.

In the meeting, Raila reaffirms his commitment to handshake, dispelling speculations that he and his foe turn friend President Uhuru Kenyatta are not reading from the same script.

“We agreed the BBI must be subjected to a referendum because it entails a fundamental reorganization of the architecture of the Executive and Kenyans need to have a say in the reorganization. The party therefore fully supports a referendum on the document,” reads an excerpt from the AU envoy’s statement.