The Nyayo National Stadium fell into a reflective silence as Raila Odinga’s family paid heartfelt tributes to the late former Prime Minister, whose political legacy and personal warmth touched millions across Kenya and beyond.
From the podium, his elder brother Senator Oburu Oginga spoke with visible emotion, capturing the depth of their lifelong bond. “He was my friend, my age-mate, my adviser, and my confidant he was everything, including a business partner,” Oburu said. His words evoked the shared journey of the two brothers from their early political awakenings to decades of struggle for democracy and reform.
Mama Ida Odinga, Raila’s wife of 52 years, delivered a moving reflection that blended nostalgia with tenderness. She recalled the stories behind the names of their four children Fidel, Rosemary, Raila Jr., and Winnie each name carrying symbolic meaning rooted in the family’s political history and global experiences. Ida described their marriage as one built on unwavering love and mutual respect, despite enduring long periods of separation during Raila’s detentions and political turbulence.
Their daughter Rosemary Odinga added another emotional layer to the family’s tributes. She described her father as a man of deep integrity, compassion, and wisdom a leader to the nation but a gentle and loving presence at home. “To the country, he was Baba, but to us, he was a present and loving father, a devoted husband, and a doting grandfather,” she said. Rosemary highlighted the values he instilled in his children resilience, forgiveness, and the courage to stand for what is right.
The family’s eulogies offered Kenyans a rare glimpse into the personal life of a man whose name is synonymous with Kenya’s struggle for democracy revealing not just the leader the nation revered, but the husband, father, and brother they deeply loved.
