Former President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday brought smiles and tears to mourners at Nyayo Stadium as he paid a heartfelt tribute to the late Raila Odinga, describing him as a brother, friend, and true patriot.
Uhuru recalled the lighter moments he shared with Raila, saying they often spent evenings reflecting on Kenya’s future and joking about what their fathers, Jomo Kenyatta and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, might be discussing in the afterlife.
“Sometimes after work, we would sit together, talking and laughing,” Uhuru said. “I once asked him those old men who died before us, Jaramogi and Jomo when they sit, what do they discuss? I said they must talk about politics just like us.”
Pausing with a smile, he added, “But now, Raila, you’ve left and you’re talking with them. It’s not that I’m in a hurry to come where you are but I still want to be around.”
The remark drew laughter and applause from the mourners before the former president’s tone turned emotional.
“My heart is heavy, and my spirit is burdened with grief that is both profound and deeply personal,” Uhuru said. “Raila’s passing has left a silence where there was once a voice of thunder and conviction.”
He praised Raila as a leader who shaped Kenya’s political story, not just as a rival but as a partner in nation-building. Recalling their 2018 Handshake, Uhuru said it marked Raila’s true statesmanship and commitment to peace and unity.
“He made you sharpen your ideas, defend your positions, and think beyond yourself,” he said. “Raila loved Kenya deeply and always stood for justice, peace, and national unity.”
Uhuru urged Kenyans to protect Raila’s legacy and uphold the democracy he fought for. “As we bid him farewell, let’s ensure Kenya never goes backwards that’s what Raila would have wanted.”
He concluded by thanking Mama Ida Odinga and the Odinga family “for sharing Raila with the nation.
