Raila treated for food poisoning and discharged

NASA leader Raila Odinga.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga was on Tuesday night taken ill, driven to Karen Hospital, Nairobi, from where he was discharged Wednesday after a night of tests, treatment and observation.

According to his official spokesman Dennis Onyango, Raila suffered a bout of food poisoning.

The former Prime Minister is believed to have checked into the hospital at about 9pm on Tuesday after complaining of a stomach ache.

He was reportedly admitted to the hospital’s executive Malindi Ward and discharged at around midday yesterday.

Mr Onyango yesterday confirmed that the former PM was treated for food poisoning and discharged.

He did not divulge more details.

At least two members of the family of the late doyen of Opposition politics, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, separately and in confidence - because the Odingas wanted to keep the matter a private family affair - told The Standard that it was true that Raila had been hospitalised.

They were, however, emphatic that he wasn’t in any danger. They later reported that he was settling in well at his Nairobi residence.

The Opposition leader had been expected to address the 4th Annual Devolution Conference in Naivasha, which will be closed by Deputy President William Ruto today, but failed to attend the meeting after being taken ill.

According to the conference organisers, Raila was scheduled to be in Naivasha but he requested to have his session moved a day earlier.

He did not show up yesterday but there were unconfirmed reports that his alliance would be represented at the conference today by Ford-Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula, who is also a co-principal of the new Opposition outfit, the National Super Alliance (NASA).

SCANTY DETAILS

While details were scanty on Raila’s overnight hospital stay, sources intimate that among those that visited the former premier at the hospital first were Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero.

It is not clear which doctors attended to him at the private health facility.

Raila, according to some of his handlers, is expected to leave for South Africa, where his daughter Rosemary is recuperating after an operation.

Rosemary is in the company of her mother Ida and sister Winnie.

Also with her in South Africa is the family doctor, Oluoch Olunya.

Rosemary was admitted in Aga Khan Hospital, Nairobi, for eight days before being taken to South Africa, where she is recuperating.

She had complained of migraines, prompting her hospitalisation in Nairobi for scans.

Raila has been busy crisscrossing the country in the past weeks in efforts to popularise NASA.