Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has cut short his official visit to Washington, D.C., where he was attending the World Bank and IMF Annual Meetings, to mourn the death of Kenya’s former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga.
Odinga, 80, passed away on Wednesday morning in Kochi, India, after suffering a heart attack while receiving treatment at the Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Eye Hospital and Research Centre.
Mbadi, a long-time ally and confidant of the late ODM leader, arrived back in Nairobi at 1 a.m. on Friday ahead of the State Funeral scheduled to take place at Nyayo National Stadium. Speaking to journalists upon arrival, Mbadi described Odinga as a “forthright and peace-loving leader” who devoted his life to Kenya’s unity and progress.
“I was out of the country attending IMF and World Bank meetings in Washington D.C. I arrived there on the 13th, but due to the time difference, I only learnt of Raila’s passing on the 15th when we woke up,” Mbadi said. “I immediately cancelled my plans and began arranging my return home.”
Visibly emotional, the Cabinet Secretary urged Kenyans to maintain calm and peace during this period of national mourning.
“It is hard to refer to him in the past tense. If Mzee is looking at us from above, there is one thing he would want to see a united country and a united people,” he said.
Mbadi, who has worked closely with Odinga for over three decades, said their bond went beyond politics.
“My engagement with Raila went beyond politics; it was intimate like that of a father and son. Raila Odinga was not just a politician; he was an idea an enduring belief in a fair, united, and just Kenya.”
Born in 1945, Raila Odinga’s political journey was defined by resilience and sacrifice, leaving behind an indelible mark as a champion of democracy and national unity.
