Kenyatta's father was the nation's founding president, while Odinga's father was his vice president in the 1960s.

Both started out as allies in the fight for independence from Britain, but they had a falling out that led Jomo Kenyatta, a member of the Kikuyu tribe, to force out Jaramogi Odinga, a Luo tribe member, as his vice president.

Their history has strained relations for decades between Kikuyus and Luos.