- Raila Odinga’s long time aide, Dennis Onyango, has come forward to explain what he knew about the relationship between Oketch Salah and his boss
- Contradictory statements have been made about Salah’s relationship with the former prime minister, some claiming he was a close friend, while others denied the claims
- On January 27, Winnie Odinga said she had met and spoken to Salah but dismissed claims that he was Raila’s close friend.
The question of Oketch Salah who was for Raila Odinga the late continues to confuse many Kenyans, including those who were close to the former leader
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Due to conflicting accounts, Raila’s longtime aide, Dennis Onyango, has come forward to explain what he knew about Salah’s relationship with his boss.
Speaking to TV 47, Onyango said the controversial businessman was Raila’s close friend, adding that he had seen them together many times inside and outside the country.
“Everyone who worked close to Raila knew Oketch Salah. I met him. I traveled with him. He was Raila’s friend,” said Onyango.
However, he explained that he did not know the reason why the two became close friends.
“Why they were friends, I don’t know. As an assistant, what you have to do is help your boss welcome his people. If Raila comes with Oketch Salah, it’s not my job to tell him not to come with him. So Oketch Salah was Raila’s friend; what made them friends I don’t know,” he added.
Did Oketch Salah accompany Raila to India?
On the day that Raila left for India to seek medical treatment, Onyango revealed that Salah was present at the leader’s Karen home, where he allegedly handed him an iPhone 17.
The communications expert also said he once spoke to Raila through Salah’s phone when they were in India.
“While in India, I spoke directly to Raila on his phone, and I also spoke to him through Oketch Salah’s phone. Why they were friends I don’t want to know, but I can’t say they weren’t friends,” he said.
Onyango said this was not the first time the businessman accompanied Raila on international trips.
According to him, Salah had accompanied the former prime minister on many other trips abroad, some of them personally.
Origin of Oketch Salah
About the origins of Salah, Onyango he said he comes from a famous business family from Migori County.
He suggested that the claim that he was Raila’s adopted son may have been used only in a symbolic sense.
“I know the Salahs; we are from Migori. His father was a businessman in Migori. He had the first bakery in Migori. We knew Salah’s bread and their bakery in Migori. So Oketch Salah is the son of the old Salah, who grew up in Migori. I can’t say I don’t know him; it wouldn’t be right,” said Onyango.
He added that sometimes Raila would send him to him to complete certain tasks or pick up and deliver things.
“Many times I was told to go to Oketch Salah, do this and that, or we travel with Oketch Salah. Why was he there, I don’t know,” he said.
What did Winnie Odinga say?
Onyango’s account slightly contradicts Winnie’s memories of who Salah was to her late father.
Speaking to Citizen TV Three weeks ago, Winnie said she had met Salah but denied claims that he was Raila’s close friend.
He pointed out that the businessman may have a mental problem or needs to be investigated further by officers of the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI).
He expressed his disappointment with Salah’s remarks and asked him and others who claim to have a close relationship with the deceased to respect him.
“I have met him, but I would like to believe that no one knows him in detail,” said Winnie.
In turn, Salah insists that he was a close friend of Raila and he has promised to reveal what the former prime minister told him in his last days in India.
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