Nairobi, Sept. 4
Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) secretary general-designate and Nyandarua Senator John Methu on Friday paid a courtesy visit to ODM party leader and Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga at his Nairobi residence, offering the public a fresh update on the veteran politician’s health amid weeks of speculation.
Writing on his X handle after the visit, Methu said he was pleased to find his colleague in good condition.
“Happy to find my colleague Sen. Dr Oburu Odinga in high spirits when I checked on him at his Nairobi residence this morning,” Methu said.
The visit comes just days after Oburu himself moved to address rumours about his health following a hospital visit that had unsettled Kenyans and ODM supporters alike.
In a statement issued on September 1, 2026, the 83-year-old politician said he was in good health, explaining that his recent hospital visit was only a routine check-up with his doctors before he returned home.
“Thank you for your concerns. I have read the Nation’s digital news and wish to state that I am very well,” Oburu said at the time, adding that falling ill was a normal part of life and should not cause alarm. He said he would personally inform Kenyans should his condition ever become serious.
Concerns over Oburu’s wellbeing first emerged after an earlier hospitalisation in August 2026, when he was admitted to Nairobi Hospital before being discharged. The nature of the ailment that led to his admission was not disclosed, and his absence from several public engagements in the following weeks fuelled further speculation.
Oburu later dismissed reports claiming he had been readmitted, saying he had simply returned home and was recovering, and questioned whether those circulating such claims had verified them with him directly.
The senator has a history of seeking treatment for health issues, including a 2022 trip to Yashoda Hospital in Hyderabad, India, where he underwent surgery for a long-standing knee problem. He said afterward that he had recovered well. His age and continued active role in national politics have kept his health a subject of periodic public interest, though claims of a critical illness or ongoing treatment abroad remain unverified.
Beyond the health update, Methu’s visit carries political weight, arriving as Kenya’s political formations begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 general election. Oburu remains a central figure in ODM and greater Nyanza politics, having assumed the party’s leadership following the death of his younger brother, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, in October 2025, a position he was subsequently confirmed to hold.