ODM Party Leader Dr. Oburu Odinga struggled to hide his dissatisfaction after revealing that he had not been properly invited to a State House function focusing on human rights.
Dr. Oburu was among several high-profile leaders and politicians who attended the event at State House, where the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) presented the Report on the Framework for Reparations for Victims of Human Rights Violations.
However, by his own admission, he was unprepared for the occasion due to what he described as a lack of proper communication regarding the invitation.
“I was not prepared for this function,” Oburu said before explaining that he had not been adequately briefed about the event.
The ODM Party Leader linked the situation to the absence of his late brother, Raila Odinga.
“I don’t want to complain, but I think it is because my brother is not here. If he had been here, I am sure he would have been the first person invited to this function,” said Oburu.
During his remarks, Dr. Oburu Odinga paid tribute to Raila Odinga’s lifelong struggle for human rights and democratic freedoms, tracing the family’s activism back to the era of their father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.
“Half of his (Raila’s) life was spent fighting for human rights,” he said.
Oburu also reflected on Jaramogi Oginga Odinga’s role in Kenya’s independence struggle and his subsequent years in opposition politics after serving briefly as the country’s first Vice President.
The veteran politician further took a swipe at younger leaders, including Minority Leader Junet Mohamed, who had indicated that his involvement in demonstrations began in 2002.
“From the early 1970s, I have lived the life of opposition. Junet says he started in 2002; we started in the 1970s,” Oburu remarked.
Dr. Oburu Odinga also used the occasion to praise Kenya’s Constitution, describing it as one of the most progressive constitutions in the world and a key pillar in safeguarding human rights and democratic governance.