Nominated MP Oburu Odinga at a past event in Bomet County. [Photo/ the-star.co.ke]
Nominated MP Oburu Odinga has told Parliament Majority Leader Aden Duale to respect opposition leader Raila Odinga lest he be cursed.
Oburu who addressed a press conference in Mombasa on Monday said were it not for Raila, Duale would be nowhere in Kenyan politics.
“Raila picked you from an unrespectable position serving tea in Garissa,” he said.
“Raila is older than you, I am older than you. If you don’t respect us we will curse you.”
He addressed the press to officially announce his withdrawal from the race for the position of MP at the East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA).
On Sunday, Duale on a live Citizen Television interview told Oburu to quit the race because of his ‘advanced’ age. Oburu is currently 74 years old.
He said he will mobilise MPs to reject Oburu’s nomination in Parliament claiming he was riding on his brother, Raila Odinga’s popularity to win the EALA seat.
But ODM before Oburu addressed the press said in a statement that Dr Oburu had declined to take up the regional position.
Dennis Onyango, Raila’s spokesperson said ODM had considered nominating Oburu but he rejected the offer.
“Dr Odinga formally declined this offer last week and instead asked the party to give priority to one of those whose nominations were shot down by Jubilee,” Onyango said in a statement.
Kalonzo’s oldest son, Kennedy Kalonzo is also said to have applied for the MP position at EALA.
EALA is an organ of the East African Community and has a wide mandate on top of being the legislative organ of the community.
Oburu was nominated to the current Parliament after failing to retain his MP position for Bondo constituency in 2013.
Those eyeing the EALA nomination through Jubilee are Dr Julius Kones and former Kamukunji MP Simon Mbugua.
Oburu, however, said members of the Odinga family have every right to contest for any political position as long as they are qualified to do so.
“I did not apply for this post as Raila’s brother,” he said.
“I applied for it as Oburu Odinga. The business of relating my application to being Raila’s brother does not hold water. Those responsible for this are politicians slowly sinking but trying to cling on anything to remain relevant.”