Raila Odinga leaves to see Rosemary in S. African hospital

Mr Raila Odinga. He is set to visit the US after S. Africa. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga has left the country for South Africa to visit his daughter Rosemary in hospital. 

Mr Odinga left Jomo Kenyatta airport in Nairobi shortly after 7am aboard aboard Kenya Airways flight destined for Johannesburg.

TUMOUR

He will be out of the country for slightly over a week, according to his spokesman Dennis Onyango.

Ms Rosemary has been in a South African hospital for over a week, suffering from a brain tumour, even though doctors said it is not life-threatening.

She is with her mother Ida and younger sister Winnie.

Over the weekend, Mr Odinga will travel to the US from South Africa for a number of engagements.

The trip comes after he was treated for food poisoning at Karen Hospital, Nairobi, raising concerns on his health.

POISON

However, he later clarified that he had not been poisoned but, was just a reaction to food that was not fit for his digestive system.

“This (food poisoning) is not the same thing as being poisoned,” Mr Odinga said.

“I know many Kenyans encounter this problem from time to time. It can cause quite a scare and, indeed, it did to me.”

On Wednesday, he was expected to address governors on the final day of the 4th Annual Devolution Conference in Naivasha but, instead Kisumu Senator Anyang’ Nyong’o represented him.