Wife of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Ida Odinga has addressed the swirling rumors regarding the veteran politician’s health, confirming that he is well and simply taking a break overseas.

Speaking to residents in Migori on Tuesday afternoon, Ida sought to definitively put an end to the speculation, questioning how outsiders could claim to know her husband’s health status better than she does.

“In the past week, people have been disturbed by rumors claiming Raila is sick,” Ida stated. “If his condition were truly as serious as they say, I would have taken him to a hospital here in Migori for treatment.”

She firmly dismissed the reports of ill health, emphasizing her position to speak on his whereabouts:

“He is fine, he is just resting abroad. How can someone who does not live with him claim to know his health status, while I, who stays with him, am unaware of any issues? Baba is okay,” she added.

Ida concluded by sharing greetings from the ODM leader, reassuring Kenyans that he would soon return home from his political hiatus.

Call to “Pray for Propagandists”

Ida Odinga’s clarification came shortly after a similar statement was issued by the ODM party’s Communications Director, Philip Etale.

Etale revealed that he had spoken directly with Raila Odinga, who was “jovial and happy,” and dismissed the allegations as mere online propaganda.

“I have just spoken with Raila Odinga, just under five minutes ago,” Etale said. “He is seeing people spreading so much propaganda online. Let’s keep praying for them.”

The former Prime Minister, Etale added, asked him to convey his greetings to all his supporters, confirming that he would be back in a few days.

The competition for dominance in the African streaming market is heating up, with Netflix leading the way with an estimated 7.4 million subscribers, followed by Showmax (4.4 million subscribers) and Amazon Prime Video (3.14 million viewers). Digital TV Research predicts that by 2029, Africa will see an additional 10 million subscribers, pushing video-on-demand subscriptions to 18 million.

Netflix and Showmax are the key players in this evolving landscape. Netflix is expected to almost double its subscriber base, while Showmax aims to more than triple its numbers, primarily due to a strong focus on rich local content, sports rights, and the addition of content from major studios.

Despite this growth, SVOD penetration in Africa is projected to remain relatively low, with only 7.7% of TV households subscribing to at least one service by 2029.

MultiChoice, the parent company of Showmax, has launched DStv Stream, an enhanced app aimed at improving the viewing experience, particularly for sports enthusiasts, by offering features like localized sports commentary and dedicated sports pages.

Netflix, in addition to reducing subscription fees in some African countries, is actively investing in local content development to attract more subscribers. MultiChoice has also emphasized local content, with 50% of its general entertainment spending allocated to local productions, achieving a library of over 76,000 hours and a 9% annual production increase.

Amazon Prime Video is expanding its library of local originals and acquisitions, with a focus on South Africa and Nigeria. They’ve hired Gideon Khobane, a former MultiChoice executive, to oversee growth in these areas, and have already premiered local comedy and drama originals, along with local acquisitions.

Overall, the African streaming market is growing, and competition among these major players is intensifying as they invest in local content, tap into talent, and enhance the viewer experience.

Netflix has unveiled its latest content lineup during the MIP Africa TV conference.

The offerings include the fourth season of “Blood & Water,” a new romantic comedy called “Soweto Love Story,” and several exciting partnerships with South African filmmakers and production companies.

These collaborations aim to showcase unique South African storytelling to Netflix’s vast global audience. The upcoming content includes series like “Miseducation” and “YOH’ Christmas,” the return of “Blood & Water” for its fourth season, and a mystery drama series called “Savage Beauty.”

Additionally, Netflix will continue the reality series “Young, Famous & African” and release a new installment in the Kandasamys film franchise titled “Kandasamys: The Baby.” There’s also an adaptation of Deon Meyer’s novel “Heart of the Hunter,” a spy thriller, and the romantic comedy “Soweto Love Story.”

Netflix is committed to investing in South Africa’s creative industry and showcasing its exceptional talent to a global audience.