Exclusive: Jalango on why he missed Dr Ida Odinga’s 73rd birthday
Phelix Odiwuor, famously known as Jalango and the sitting Member of Parliament for Lang’ata constituency in Nairobi sheds light on his absence from Ida Odinga’s 73rd birthday celebration held at Nairobi’s 5-star Villa Rosa Kempinski restaurant.
The lavish event, attended by a spectrum of politicians from various political affiliations, was notably without Jalango, a prominent figure within the ODM party and someone who has been groomed politically by Mr Raila Odinga.
Jalango’s absence raised eyebrows, considering his close association with the Odinga family and his role as an ODM MP.
In an exclusive interview with Nairobi News, Jalango addressed the matter, clarifying that his absence was not intentional but attributed it to an exhaustive schedule that has left him sleep-deprived.
Speaking to Nairobi News, Jalango stated, “We were here [Police Sacco Stadium, South C] until very late and organizing this event [Jalango Super League ]. It hasn’t been easy…I was planning to go but it was very late.”
Despite his absence, Jalango conveyed warm wishes to Mama Ida on her birthday, saying, “To Mama, happy happy birthday, and may God give you more favor.”
Also read: Ida Odinga addresses progress of stalled legacy library in Homabay – Exclusive
Jalango’s interview took place during the launch of the Jalango Super League (JSL), an initiative sponsored by Lang’ata NG-CDF in collaboration with various corporate stakeholders.
The MP serves as the Patron of the league.
The JSL involves 25 teams from Lang’ata constituency’s five wards, competing for a prize of Sh2 million.
Beyond being a mere sports tournament, the JSL aims to address long-term issues like unemployment, drug abuse, theft, and crime within the broader community.
The winning team’s victory entails formulating a project proposal that will be beneficial to all team members.
Jalango emphasized, “They’ll call themselves winners, then they sit down and give us a business proposal on what they want to do, and we help to fund them. Not calling people after winning to party.”
The JSL is an ongoing effort, running until September, to engage and empower the youth while fostering a sense of community involvement. With a vision to combat societal challenges and provide opportunities for the youth, Jalango’s initiative aligns with his commitment to making a positive impact in his constituency.
Also read: PHOTOS: Inside Ida Odinga’s extravagant birthday party thrown by Raila