Despite being considered to be rich and hailing from a rich family, life has not always been easy for East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Oburu Oginga.
The former Bondo MP, first-born son to founding Vice President Jaramogi Oginga Odinga was at some point in a hard place to an extent his family slept on the floor.
This came at a time when his father was dealing with all manner of things, including the harassment of his sons over his wrangles with Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, the first president.
At one time, his family had to sleep on the cold floor after auctioneers took away all their furniture, at the same time he was denied a teaching job at the University of Nairobi.
This was after another series of problems when his father tried to send him abroad for education, but when he returned, Josepat Karanja, the UoN Vice Chancellor wouldn't let him take a job for being a 'communist'.
"Karanja asked me a political question. He asked me if I believed in capitalism or communism. I told him the question was irrelevant. I told him I believed in socialism.
"That I believed in religion and private ownership of property, and communism did not. But he said I would introduce communist ideology at the university!" he said.
After his return from the Lumumba Friendship University in Russia with a PhD in economics in 1970, he attempted to apply for an economic planner in the government.
However, he was instead offered the District Officer slot which he rejected on grounds that he was being demeaned.
And though he joined politics in 1974, several years after his younger brother Raila Odinga, he has not been as lucky in the game, ending up depending on Raila instead.
#historynow