Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has revealed his close ties with the Odinga family that spans three decades.
The minister says the relationship goes back to 1994 when former Vice President Jaramogi Oginga Odinga helped him fight expulsion from the University of Nairobi.
Speaking in Siaya on Thursday during the launch of Siaya County Aggregation and Industrial Park in Central Alego, Mr. Kuria wowed the audience as he reminisced on his friendship with the Odinga’s.
“I have a feeling of foreboding when I remember the journey that myself, my brother James Orengo, and Senator Oburu Oginga and I have come,” he said.
He said his relationship with Oginga started when he was a student and Mr. Oginga helped him fight a move by the University of Nairobi to kick him out of school.
“I feel a sense of foreboding when I remember the journey that myself, James Orengo, Senator Oburu have come from… On 20th of January 1994, we were here, a whole 29 years ago to bury Jaramogi Oginga Odinga the man who instructed Otieno Kajwang to represent me in court and get an injunction that stopped me from being expelled from UoN and when I came here to bury him…,” he said.
Kuria, who is one of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s fiercest critics and has been known to call him all manner of names and even threaten him for calling for anti-government protests, recalled how the Azimio kingpin prepared him a meal after a run-in with the police.
He recalled how police lobbed teargas during the first anniversary celebrations of Oginga because of playing music.
“President Moi had said there was not going to be any live music in that Tero buru and the leadership of this region had said noway…,” he narrated.
“When the music started at 6:30pm, Okatch Biggy started playing, teargas was thrown. I remember Oburu and I were helping each other to escape from a DC called Kiritu Wamai, we were whisked to safety, we went to Opoda Farm and ‘Baba’ (Raila) prepared for us the best chicken I have ever tasted in this side of the world.”
Kuria was quick to remind the leaders of the need to work together and focus on development.
“Me and you have got very high chances of seeing the kingdom of heaven because of what we are doing today,” he said as the crowd erupted in laughter.
“Hakuna uchaguzi mwaka huu, na hakuna mwaka ujau so let us keep ourselves busy by focusing on development and when the next election comes, we decide that tea time is over, we go back to those other things and if possible even those ones we leave them behind and vote together as one united nation.”
His sentiments were echoed by Siaya Governor James Orengo who said that politicians should work together regardless of party affiliations.
“I urge you that we should make our politics where I can differ with Moses Kuria but matters of development we are one country, one nation,” said Orengo.
