DAY THREE

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 1 - Prime Minister Raila Odinga spent his third day at the Nairobi Hospital on Thursday, where dozens of well wishers continued to visit him.

His Spokesman Dennis Onyango said the Premier was responding well to treatment and had “shown tremendous improvement.”

“The Prime Minister is responding well to treatment. Doctors have said the PM is on the track to full recovery in a few days time,” Mr Onyango said.

The hospital remained busy the better part of Thursday, with high-profile personalities visiting the Prime Minister.

Cabinet Ministers and Members of the diplomatic corps were among those who visited the Prime Minister with bouquets of flowers.

They included Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi and wife Tessie, Anyang’ Nyong'o (Medical Services), Paul Otuoma (Fisheries), Dr Sally Kosgey (Higher Education), Noah Wekesa (Forestry), Mohamed Elmi (Development of Northern Kenya and Arid Lands), several other Members of Parliament and some top executives from the business community.

Other prominent personalities were Germany Ambassador to Kenya Hellwig Boette, Said Grom Milahoni of Saudi Arabia and Abdullah Benyran of Morocco as well as President Kibaki’s son Jimmy.

The German Ambassador denied reports that a group of medics had been flown into the country to team up with the PM’s doctors at the Nairobi Hospital.

She said Kenya has some of the best doctors who can attend to the Premier and added her country had not received any request to assist in the treatment as reported in a local daily. The PM’s office also described the reports as ridiculous.

She said: “I don't know where they got that information and nothing of the sort has happened.” “This country has doctors who can handle such a problem.”

MPs Peter Kenneth (Gatanga), Eugene Wamalwa (Saboti), Nairobi Mayor Geoffrey Majiwa, newscaster Leonard Mambo, politician Kalembe Ndile and a group of youths from Kibera slum also visited Mr Odinga.

They told journalists: “The Prime Minister is jovial and getting well. He should be out soon.”

At least 10 bishops from the Global Church Ministers and Human Justice Council said they had held prayers at the PM’s bedside.

Mr Odinga underwent what doctors termed a “minor procedure” after diagnosis results revealed a build up of pressure in his skull caused by internal bleeding that reportedly resulted from a head injury he suffered three weeks ago.

Mr Onyango later said in a statement that a room adjacent to the ward where the Prime Minister was admitted had been allocated specifically as a holding space for bouquet of flowers taken in by well wishers.

“Security details at the hospital had a hectic time controlling the inflow of the visitors majority of who brought with them banquets of flowers, which have since been allocated an adjacent room to ease congestion at the PM’s ward,” a statement from the Prime Minister’s office read in part.

Despite his sickness, the Prime Minister is keenly following developments at the World Cup in South Africa and has wished Ghana’s Black Stars victory in their Friday match against Uruguay.

The Prime Minister urged Kenyans to show solidarity with the Ghanaians as the sole flag-bearers for the continent in the second round of the tournament.

“The PM is awed by and proud of the Black Stars for their extraordinary exploits on the pitch and looks forward to seeing the Soccer City Stadium and the Continent of Africa erupt in joy and celebration of the team’s victory at final whistle,” a statement from his office said.