Gachagua rebukes ODM for dragging opposition in Raila’s health debate
By Luke Oluoch, October 6, 2025Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has reprimanded the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) for accusing the opposition of spreading misinformation about Raila Odinga’s health.
Speaking on Monday, October 6, 2025, during a rally in Ukambani, Gachagua castigated the party for dragging Kalonzo Musyoka and himself into affairs of the veteran opposition leader
He jibed that neither he nor Kalonzo was a virus responsible for any illness.
“Nmeona jana watu ya ODM wakileta upuuzi. Ati huyo mzee wao ako na matatizo. Sasa wanataka kuekelea Kalonzo na mimi. Kalonzo ni virus, yeye ni bacteria, sasa mambo ya ugonjwa Kalonzo anatokea wapi?,” he posed.
The former DP added that the opposition wishes Raila good health to live and witness his and his broad-based partner William Ruto’s being handed defeat in the upcoming polls.
“Sisi tunatakia huyo mzee mema tunataka wakuwe pamoja na Ruto kwa debe 2027 tuwafukuze wote,”
Translated to: We want the best for Raila. We want him to stay with Ruto up to the 2027 polls so that we send both of them home,” he insisted.
His remarks come after the Orange party accused a political faction led by impeached former Deputy President Gachagua, Kalonzo Musyoka, and DAP-K’s Eugene Wamalwa of spreading misinformation about Odinga’s well-being.
In its statement on October 5, 2025, ODM cited that Gachagua’s faction was deliberately spreading false narratives, including claims that Odinga had travelled to Europe for medical treatment.
Wiper hits back at ODM
Gachagua’s sentiments come a day after the Wiper Party also fired a warning to ODM to stop dragging its leader’s name into Raila Odinga’s health issues.
Wiper, in its defense, accused ODM of engaging in the very practice they accused their counterparts of.
“The latest outburst by the ODM Party through its surrogates over imagined ‘misinformation on the health of Raila Odinga’ is nothing short of political theatre, an act of desperation from a once respected movement that has lost both its moral compass and political relevance,” the party said.
The party has instead urged the veteran party to focus on fixing its in-house issues with Kenya Kwanza.
“ODM’s attempt to drag Kalonzo Musyoka into its internal confusion is a weak distraction from the cracks splitting the so-called Broad-Based Government they now defend so blindly,” its statement read.
“Let it be stated clearly: Kalonzo Musyoka harbours no ill will whatsoever towards Mr Odinga. The two leaders share a long public history of cooperation and mutual respect. Any suggestion that HE Kalonzo Musyoka wishes harm upon Raila is malicious, reckless, and utterly false.