President William Ruto on Sunday delivered a heartfelt tribute to the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, crediting him with shaping his political career and laying the foundation for his rise to the presidency.
Speaking at the state funeral in Bondo, Siaya County, Ruto recounted his first meeting with Raila in 1997 when he was elected as MP for Eldoret North. Their friendship and political collaboration began shortly thereafter. He said they both worked together in KANU, participated in the constitutional reform process, and ultimately founded the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
“Raila was not only an engineer by profession; he was a political engineer. Among his many students in the school of political engineering was yours truly, William Ruto,” he said, explaining that he learned the art of politics through his close association with Raila.
Reflecting on the 2022 General Election, Ruto characterized their presidential contest as a moment between a mentor and his student rather than a rivalry.
“Many people expected me to panic, but I didn’t, because it was a teacher versus his student. I would have had no problem if Raila had become president,” he noted.
Ruto revealed that after the elections, he reached out to Raila for guidance and advice to help move the country forward. He said he promised to take care of him and ensure that the sacrifices he made for Kenya would be honoured.
“Raila sacrificed his freedom, his family, and his peace for this nation. I told him I wanted to correct the wrongs that were done to him,” Ruto shared.
The President confirmed that in the past three months, he engaged in meaningful discussions with Raila on how to elevate Kenya from a third-world nation to first-world standards, a topic of deep concern for the former Prime Minister.
He explained that providing Raila with a state funeral was part of his commitment to honor his legacy and demonstrate national respect.
Ruto asserted that although Raila Odinga never held the office of Head of State, he would always be remembered as the People’s President.
“Some have said that because Raila was never president, he does not deserve full honours. I told them that even though he never sat in State House, he will always be the People’s President. Therefore, he must be accorded the dignity of a head of state,” he stated.
“I have fulfilled my responsibility to a friend, a brother, and my mentor — a man from whose school of politics I learned,” the President remarked.
