Ida Odinga had indicated that Allay Raila Odinga was the only son Fidel had sired during his lifetime
By Pascal MJ Owade
Contributing Editor
It is getting interesting, this case of Raila Odinga family versus the widow of Fidel Odinga. A Judge in Nairobi this Wednesday directed that a DNA test be carried out on the twins fathered by Fidel and born six months after his death in Janury 2015.
Ida and her daughter Winnie had gone to court, the wife and daughter of former Opposition leader Raila Odinga, block Fidel’s widow, Lwam Bekele, from being the sole administrator of Fidel’s estate on grounds that he had twins with Phoebe Akinyi Ogweno and who were also depending on him and needed to be included as beneficiaries.
Fidel died without a will in January 2015 and his multi-million estate include the couple’s Karen home which was valued at Sh 75 million by the time of his death four years ago.
But Lwam counters that the said twins were born six months after Fidel’s death and therefore he could not have been supporting them in their mother’s womb.
Winnie Odinga to be included as a beneficiary as Fidel’s sister
In her suit, Lwam attached birth certificates in her affidavit and argues “there is no indication of the father of the said minors” as the birth certificates indicate the minors were born on July 1, 2015 which is six months after Fidel’s death.”
Lwam says in her petition that Ida and Winnie had claimed in their petition for grant of letters of administration intestate, where they indicated that “the deceased supported the minors during his life time. It remains inconceivable how the deceased supported minors even before they were born.”
In any case, she says Ida had acknowledged that Fidel only sired one son in his life, their son, Allay Raila Odinga and the appearance of a second family, twins born six months after his death, was a contradiction of what she had stated in her papers.
Lwam clarifies that she has no qualms including the said minors and their mother as beneficiaries provided there was proof that Fidel as their biological father.
Winnie was included as a beneficiary on grounds she was Fidel’s sister. The case will be mentioned on November 13.
