[President Uhuru Kenyatta and his main rival Raila Odinga in a past event. Their fathers are said to have owned joint bank accounts. Photo/Nation]
Despite visible political rivalry between the families of Kenyan founding President Jomo Kenyatta and his deputy Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, secret records that have since been made public shows a close family relationship, contrary to what Kenyans perceive, recounts John Kamau.
And the passionate political rivalry, that manifested in post independent Kenya, has yet again been translated to their sons President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga.
But records obtained at the Kenya National Achives indicate the the older Kenyatta and his friend Jaramogi, besides serious political differences later on, at one point shared a joint bank account.
Moments after Kenyatta was released in 1961, the two opened a bank account in London where money from various sources was received.
Later, the two are said to have opened yet again another joint bank account with Nairobi's Bank of Baroda in which they were sole signatories.
Interestingly, records show that the level of trust between the two was 'extreme' to an extent that either could withdraw money without the consent of the other.
Kamau, in his detailed article, observes that the close relationship between the two men, whose families would be embroiled in tough power struggles decades on, was 'spoilt' by their lieutenants.
At Kenyatta's burial in 1978, Odinga made a rare public appearance after years of isolation to bid his friend cum enemy a farewell.
The historical power struggle between the two families, who understandably subscribe to divergent ideologies, is yet again recurring with persistent intrigues between Uhuru, and Raila Odinga.
For the record three times, Raila is embroiled in a clandestine power tussle with Uhuru which has thrown the country to political limbo.