Barely a week after the passing of Kenya’s iconic opposition leader and former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, a fresh twist has emerged involving his late son’s ex-wife, Lwam Getachew Bekele.
According to court filings published in a gazette notice dated Friday, October 17, Bekele has initiated a legal process linked to unclaimed financial assets — a move that has stirred speculation and public debate. The notice, issued by the Unclaimed Financial Assets Authority (UFAA), lists her among individuals tied to pending cases involving the estates of deceased persons.
The timing of the filing, coinciding with the national mourning period for Raila Odinga, has drawn widespread attention online. Many Kenyans have expressed surprise at Bekele’s reappearance after years of silence, especially given her previous association with the Odinga family through her late husband, Fidel Odinga.
Fidel, the eldest son of Raila and Ida Odinga, married Bekele in 2012 in a high-profile ceremony that captured the nation’s imagination. However, the couple separated two years later, before Fidel’s tragic death in 2015 under circumstances that remain unclear. He was widely viewed as his father’s political successor — a mantle that vanished abruptly with his untimely demise.
Sources close to the matter suggest that Bekele’s latest legal step may be connected to Fidel’s estate or assets left unresolved since his passing. However, no official statement has been issued by either Bekele or the Odinga family.
As the country continues to come to terms with the loss of Raila Odinga — a man many regarded as the father of Kenya’s modern democracy — Bekele’s court action has reignited public curiosity about the Odinga family’s private affairs.
Whether her move is purely procedural or signals deeper disputes over Fidel’s estate remains to be seen. But for now, one thing is certain: even in grief, the Odinga name continues to dominate Kenya’s public discourse.
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