Oketch Salah has broken his silence to address accusations and speculation surrounding his relationship with the late Raila Odinga.
In a statement on Tuesday, January 20, Salah began by addressing claims questioning whether he was genuinely present during former Prime Minister's illness.
He clarified that he was with him from the onset of his sickness until his final moments, and that this was not said for sympathy or political gain but simply to state the truth.
"I am the one being accused, so I will respond directly and calmly. I was with Baba Raila Odinga from the time he first fell ill until his final moments on earth. That is a fact. I do not say this for sympathy, relevance or political mileage; I say it because it is the truth," he said.
Salah went on to share the emotional toll of witnessing Raila's suffering firsthand, including moments when only minimal support was present.
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"I was with Baba throughout his pain. I know what it felt like. There were moments I genuinely thought I was losing him. Moments when it was only me and one security guard present, holding Baba, trying to steady him, trying to help him through the pain. This is not a story. This is lived experience," he added.
Salah further revealed that he and Raila held extensive private conversations during that time, while stressing that his refusal to share details should be understood as respect.
"During that period, Baba and I had extensive conversations; personal, political and strategic, many of which he chose to have with me privately. Out of respect for him and his family, I will not disclose those discussions. Silence should never be mistaken for fear or falsehood," he continued.
Salah also addressed allegations that he disrespected Raila's family, denying any attempt to replace them or undermine Mama Ida Odinga and their children.
"I have never claimed to replace Baba’s family nor have I ever disrespected Mama Ida or his children. Any suggestion that I insulted, sidelined or spoke ill of them is false and malicious. I reject it completely," he further said.
Salah added that he has no fear of public scrutiny and is open to being questioned on any credible platform, asserting that the truth stands up to examination.
He warned against narratives that cast him as a scapegoat for internal political struggles.
"I am not afraid of scrutiny. I am ready and willing to be interviewed publicly on these matters; at any time, on any credible platform. Truth does not fear examination. What I will not accept is being turned into a convenient villain so others can fight internal battles or rewrite lived history. I did not force myself into anyone’s life. I was present because Baba allowed me to be present—consistently and knowingly," he noted.
Salah affirmed his confidence in his actions and his role, insisting that online outrage and political theatrics cannot alter what he knows to be true.
"I know where I stood. I know what I did. And I know what Baba entrusted me with. Those facts do not change because of online mobs or political theatrics. I stand firmly by this truth and will not be dragged into manufactured outrage or distractions," he concluded.
Notably, this comes weeks after Raila's sister, Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga, dismissed claims by Salah that Raila privately warned him about Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna being a mole within the ODM Party.
In a statement on Monday, December 29, 2025, Ruth dismissed suggestions that Raila engaged in private conversations, noting that he was open, direct, and consistent in how he communicated his positions.
"Raila Odinga was not a gossiper. He would speak with everyone regardless of their position in the society, and this is a story those who knew him understand pretty well," she said.
Ruth went on to challenge anyone claiming to have held exclusive or repeated private discussions with Raila on sensitive national or party matters, stating that such assertions were false and misleading.
"Anyone telling Kenyans that Hon. Raila had a series of private conversations with him on a wide range of issues is lying, and must be called out. Jakom had a way of speaking his mind and would make public his stand on national issues," she added.
Ruth stressed that Sifuna enjoyed the same relationship with Raila as many other young leaders within the party and should not be singled out.
"Talking of Baba's sons, Nairobi Senator and ODM SG, Edwin Sifuna was equally his son and used to talk to him. So no one should claim to have been closer to Raila than everyone else," she further said.
