Former prime minister (PM) Raila Odinga died on Wednesday, October 15, at the age of 80.
The veteran politician, who led the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party for two decades, breathed his last at Devamatha Hospital in Kerala, southern India. Raila had travelled to seek medical treatment and was accompanied by his sister, Ruth Odinga, daughter Winnie, and bodyguard, Maurice Ogeto. Tributes have illuminated his understated yet expansive business empire, valued at more than KSh 2 billion. Raila revealed that he accumulated his wealth from company shares and properties in several places. “They are saying Raila Odinga is so rich…so very rich, which is not true. I am worth about KSh 2 billion,” Raila told NTV Kenya. Which businesses and properties did Raila own?
1. Riat home
Images of Raila’s multimillion-shilling mansion in Kisumu county’s Riat Hills surfaced in 2016. It features a theatre, conference rooms, a huge helipad, 10 bedrooms, Jacuzzis, and modern kitchens Unofficially, the house atop the hill was known as Raila’s state house. It was observed that the ODM leader designed a structure whose majesty reflected that of the Kenyan statehouse, which he unsuccessfully tried to occupy five times. Raila Odinga’s Riat mansion in Kisumu county.
2. Opoda Farm
For Raila, Opoda Farm was more than just a residence. Like many well-known Kenyans who own multiple residences in both the city and their ancestral homes, the politician stayed at the farm on days when he wanted a serene environment, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Raila used it to welcome VIP visitors and political delegations, renew his energies, and spend quality time with his family. Raila Odinga (second right front row) hosted delegations at his Opoda Farm. Occasionally, the former prime minister met residents who were collecting water from the large farm, which is separated by a public road. The farm has cattle, sheep, and goats.
3. Karen, Runda and Mombasa homes
Raila also had mansions in Karen, Runda and Mombasa. The late ODM leader revealed that his Karen mansion was valued at KSh 300 million. Raila hosted a housewarming reception in his new Mombasa mansion in 2018. The house in Nyali is painted with Egyptian blue and white colours as per the county government’s directive. READ ALSO Raila Odinga: Heartbreaking video shows Gen Zs weeping over ex-PM’s casket at JKIA Raila Odinga with a Narok delegation at his Karen home in May 2021. Photo: Raila Odinga. Source: Twitter
4. Chopper and vehicles
Raila was among the Kenyan politicians who owned choppers for easy movement across the country. He also had a fleet of multi-million cars, including Toyota Land Cruiser SUVs.
5. East Africa Spectre
The company was founded in 1971 at the Kenya Industrial Estates, according to its website. The original name of the company, Standard Processing Equipment Construction, which made steel windows and doors, among other steel items, was the inspiration for the name Spectre. The company deals with Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and has a cylinder production unit. while According to Raila, he started the business from humble beginnings while he was a lecturer at the University of Nairobi. Standard Processing Equipment was established after an Indian technician requested that Raila purchase the equipment that Indians in Uganda had abandoned after being expelled by the antagonistic Idi Amin government. Then, he had to figure out how to raise the money to buy the equipment and launch his company.
As a don, his monthly salary was KSh 2,000, and the necessary equipment was worth KSh 12,000 per month. Raila disclosed that to raise the money, he had to sell his German car to buy the equipment. 6. Be Energy Raila invested in the energy sector through Be Energy, with his family members among the shareholders controlling a 35% stake. Odinga’s family owns Be Energy through Pan African Petroleum Company, where Raila Junior and Oburu Odinga are the directors. Pan African Petroleum Company shareholders include Rosemary Odinga (50,000 shares), Winnie Odinga (25,000 shares), Elija Oburu (125,000 shares), Raila Junior (25,000 shares), Wenwa Akinyi Oranga (25,000 shares) and Kango Enterprises (250,000 shares). Kango Enterprises is owned by Raila and his wife, Ida, who have 100 shares each.
By Japhet Ruto
