Orange Democratic Party (ODM) leader Oburu Oginga has made his first public appearance after weeks of speculation over his condition.Amid concerns that his health was deteriorating, the ODM boss all but confirmed he was alive and well via a series of images obtained by Kenyans.co.ke, where he held an intimate celebration to mark his 83rd birthday.The images show Oburu celebrating his 83rd birthday alongside a group of Nairobi Hospital staff and his two wives, with the gathering marked by a cake-cutting ceremony.Incidentally, Oburu now celebrates his birthday on the same day he lost his younger brother, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who passed away on October 15 2025.Oburu coupled the images with a lengthy message celebrating his own birthday while also commemorating his late brother. "Today, October 15, is far more than just a date on the calendar, it is a sacred intersection of life and eternity. Marking another year of my own birth on this very day brings a bittersweet reflection, knowing it is also the date my beloved younger brother, Baba Raila Amolo Odinga, departed to be with the Lord," a statement from Oburu said.He went on, "To have been born on this day and for you to have departed on this same date is a divine testament to the invisible thread that binds our souls. Physical separation cannot touch a brotherhood written in the heavens."Oburu was a conspicuous absentee from the one-year commemoration of Raila's passing at Migwena Cultural Grounds in Siaya County, with several dignitaries, including Mama Ida Odinga and ODM deputy Simba Arati, reiterating that he was in decent condition.According to Mama Ida, while Oburu was recuperating, he was under strict instructions from doctors , who advised him against attending any politically-charged events. In recent weeks, the ODM boss has missed several key events, with reports emerging that he had been flown to the United Kingdom for treatment of an unnamed condition.Since the emergence of those reports, the Odinga family has, on several occasions, been forced to denounce reports that Oburu's condition had worsened, even as he was flown back to Kenya to receive treatment at the Nairobi hospital.On Tuesday, October 6, Oburu’s secretariat described the ODM boss' death reports as malicious propaganda and fake news, urging the public to disregard the claims.In his birthday message on Thursday, the Siaya Senator appeared to hail hospital staff for what he described as "professionalism" as he continued with his recovery."Thank you to the dedicated Nairobi Hospital staff for your exceptional professionalism and kindness, and to the ODM fraternity, wonderfully represented today by Trustee Elder Joshua Kawino, for standing steadfastly with our family," he said.
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