As the country mourns the sudden, unclear death of CORD Leader Raila Odinga’s first born son, Fidel Odinga, new details are emerging on how the young man fondly called ‘General’ met his untimely death. Here is a blow by blow account:
Saturday, noon.
On Saturday around midday, Fidel Odinga leaves his house situated at the Bel Air Country Homes along Miotoni Road in Karen. He goes to meet his father Raila Odinga at their home to wish him New Year tidings since they have not met since January 1.
At his father’s residence, Fidel meets Senator Dan Mwazo and his wife. They interact briefly before Fidel excuses himself.
Saturday, 2pm
Fidel Odinga leaves his father’s house – which is situated at the end of Karen near the border with Kajiado County – and drives to Ruby Restaurant in Kilimani. He meets with one of his friends, Tom Alila, who is in the company of COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli, Muhoroni MP Otieno K’Oyoo and former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo.
They hold a brief chat that lasts about five minutes before Fidel excuses himself. He leaves to pick up someone near the Somali Embassy.
Saturday 4pm
Fidel Odinga leaves Kilimani for Westlands, where he joins his friend Robert Gichuru for a late lunch at the popular Art Café, Oval place. After the lunch, he leaves to have drinks with his friends at an exclusive club called Capital Club.
Saturday 11.30pm
Fidel Odinga leaves Capital Club after a friend identified as Barnabas Temere, a Ugandan national, invites him for a drink at the Sankara Hotel. Sankara is in Westlands. At Sankara, Fidel is joined by Mabior Garang, the son of the late South Sudan leader John Garang, and a few other friends. Fidel and his friends, take drinks until around 2.30am on Sunday morning.
Sunday 2.30am
Fidel Odinga calls for a taxi to drive him home. Apparently, he feels drunk to drive. Two cab drivers from Smart Fellas Taxis arrive; one drives his Range Rover and the other follows them to his Miotoni Road residence in Karen. The Range Rover, which was surrounded by the police tape, was in the parking lot of Fidel’s residence Sunday afternoon, and still had its parking lights on.
Sunday morning
Fidel Odinga arrives home and rings the kitchen bell. He apologizes to her for waking her up so early and heads to the guest wing to sleep. Apparently, he does not want to disturb his wife and child who are in their bedroom.
Sunday 6.30am
Fidel Odinga’s wife checks on her husband. At first, she thinks he is asleep. A short-while later, she attempts to wake him up and discovers he is dead. She then calls in her mother in-law Ida.
Sunday Before 7am
Ida and Raila Odinga arrive at Fidel’s home. They call for an ambulance. A Red Cross ambulance arrives but upon first aid examination, the medics inform the distraught parents that their son, Fidel has passed away.
An eight-hour autopsy is then conducted on the body by a team of forensic pathologists led by the Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor at the house.
Sunday Evening
The body of Fidel Odinga is moved to the Lee Funeral Home last evening.
life is too short indeed
Fare thee well Fidel.