ODM leader Oburu Oginga is expected to return home within the next two days, with party Secretary General Catherine Omanyo seeking to calm public concern over his health and dismissing reports circulating on social media as unfounded.
Omanyo said the veteran politician was recovering well and could be discharged from hospital on Tuesday or Wednesday. She accused some online commentators of spreading unverified claims about his condition to attract attention and increase their audience.
“It's unfortunate what I've been reading on social media. Those people who are seeking to have more likes or viewers, they will be disappointed because he's up, he's well, he's fine,” she said.
“In fact, he's headed home either today or tomorrow,” she added.
Her statement follows a wave of speculation about Oburu's health, with some social media posts making claims about his death. Omanyo dismissed the reports, saying they did not reflect his condition and urging the public to avoid treating unconfirmed online information as fact.
She explained that illness could affect anyone at any time, but Oburu's position as ODM party leader had made developments concerning his health a major subject of public discussion.
“Everybody, everybody, including you and me, our health is not static. You can be under the weather any time. It's just that he's a party leader, and it makes breaking news,” Omanyo said.
The ODM secretary general called on social media users to exercise caution when sharing information about public figures, particularly when it concerns their health. She warned against circulating death reports before the information had been confirmed.
Omanyo also addressed the wider discussion about death, saying it was inevitable but should not be anticipated or wished upon anyone.
“The death that they are talking about does not choose a child or old. It comes to all of us, so we are not praying for anybody to die prematurely,” she said.
She maintained that no individual could decide when another person's life would end, adding that such matters were beyond the control of bloggers and other social media users.
“His time will come, and we will accept. Everybody's time will come, and we will accept because that is God's choice, not the social media blogger's choice,” Omanyo said.
Oburu, who serves as the Siaya Senator, became ODM party leader after the death of his younger brother, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, in October 2025.
His leadership comes at a critical period for the party as it considers its political future and its relationships with other political formations ahead of the 2027 General Election.
While Omanyo has indicated that Oburu is recovering and preparing to leave hospital, the party has not publicly disclosed the illness that led to his admission. She also declined to provide further details about his medical condition, focusing instead on reassuring supporters that he was doing well and expected to return home soon.