This archive report was first published on 27 December 2019.
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's daughter, Rosemary, has made a remarkable recovery after being partially blind for two years. In a heartwarming address to a congregation at St Peter's ACK Church in Nyamira, Bondo, on Christmas Day, Rosemary revealed that she has regained her sight and no longer needs the white cane that had become her partner in mobility since 2017.
According to Raila, Rosemary fell ill in 2017 and underwent surgery at a Nairobi hospital. She was later taken to South Africa for further treatment, where doctors struggled to diagnose her ailment. The family also sought treatment for Rosemary in Israel and Germany, but it was in China where a professor of medicine finally discovered what she was suffering from.
Raila recalled that a scan sent from South Africa alarmed the Chinese doctor, who ordered that Rosemary be flown to China immediately. She underwent a three-in-one operation that took 10 hours, and was later diagnosed with a brain tumor.
On Wednesday, Rosemary walked on her own as she entered the church for the Christmas Mass, with Raila by her side. She did not have a white cane, which had been her partner in mobility for two years. As she stood to address the congregation, Rosemary recounted how her independence was affected by the loss of eyesight but credited her family and friends for supporting her.
She said, 'It was very challenging. I am used to living a certain lifestyle where I am very independent. Suddenly, I couldn’t see my children and my parents.' Rosemary, who spoke in fluent Luo, added that even though her eyes were 'wide open', she could only hear people.
Recalling the journey to her recovery, Rosemary moved the congregation as she narrated how emotional it was to see her children after two years. She said, 'I would sit alone and recognised people through their behaviours. It wasn’t easy but I thank God for the miracle.'
