The Reason Raila Never Wanted His Donations Made Public – Onsarigo Explains

Dennis Onsarigo, former press secretary to Raila Odinga, has offered rare insights into the former Prime Minister’s private generosity and his staunch refusal to publicise charitable donations.

Speaking on Citizen TV to journalist Trevor Ombija, Onsarigo explained the immense pressure his team faced to combat public perception while respecting Odinga’s desire for privacy in giving.

Fighting the 'Mean Guy' Label

During the 2017 and 2022 election cycles, political consultants often found themselves battling strong allegations about Mr Odinga’s perceived lack of generosity.

“We were fighting back allegations that Raila is a mean guy,” Onsarigo recounted. Critics would claim he did not part with money, even suggesting “he has a snake in his pocket”.

The staff believed publicising donations was necessary to counter this negative narrative. They even approached Mr Odinga about it.

“We told him... we feel that we should publicise some of the donations you make,” Onsarigo revealed.

Why Publicity Was Forbidden

However, Mr Odinga was “very categorical” that his charitable acts should not be announced. He was not interested in gaining a “cheap political score”.

When asked why they should not publicise the giving, MrOdinga's reply was simple: “If you'regiving a donation to someone, then give it to him. You don't have to publicise it”.

READ TOO: Reason Raila’s Public Viewing Cannot Take Place at Parliament Buildings

This stance flew in the face of standard political practice. Onsarigo noted that many politicians seek traction online and on television for their giving.

“They see if it wasn't recorded, it didn't happen. That's the political class,” he observed.

Generosity Behind Closed Doors

Despite his public image struggle, Mr Odinga was privately very compassionate. Onsarigo described instances where Mr Odinga would personally hand over money, often "not small money," for events like funerals. He would give his donation in person and tell the recipient, "don't talk about it".

This secrecy sometimes caused problems for his staff. Onsarigo recalled his own father’s funeral. Other politicians would stand up to announce their £20000 or £10000 donations publicly.

When Mr Odinga offered his gift, he asked Onsarigo if he should announce it in front of the crowd. When Onsarigo replied it was not his place to ask him to do so, Mr Odinga decided against the public announcement.

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As a result, Onsarigo faced criticism from his community. His village mates mistakenly concluded that because the gift was not announced, Mr Odinga "came all the way from Nairobi and he didn't leave you anything".

Mr Odinga’s compassion extended beyond financial giving. He would follow up personally after a staff member lost a relative.

He would call to ask if he should visit the house or attend the funeral. He would then call again three days later to check on the arrangements, affirming, "I really want to be there for you guys".

This personal dedication and follow-up was common. Onsarigo stated that the immense passion people showed for Mr Odinga, often seen crying on television, suggested a deeply compassionate human being behind the public politics.