As mourners gathered in Bondo for the funeral service of the former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, his family, in their eulogies, chose to speak of the man they loved, the brother, the husband, the father, and the friend and not only about the political giant the world knew.
Their tributes, laced with humour and heartfelt emotion, painted a picture of a man whose story at home was heartwarming.
In his eulogy, Oburu Odinga recalled the mischievous boy Raila had once been, who always seemed to be getting “disciplined”. As an example, Oburu told the story of the day Raila refused to pick cotton under their father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.
“Raila was a very caring boy, but if he felt he was being misused, he refused,” Oburu began. “When my father came back that weekend, he expected us to be picking cotton. And all of us had woken up so early to go and pick cotton because Mzee was very strict.
“But Raila was still sleeping. So when he asked him why he is not picking cotton, he told Mzee, ‘Baba don’t you know it is very difficult to pick cotton? Why don’t you also try to pick it? and Mzee was not amused,” he finished as the crowd laughed.
Akinyi Odinga brought her own warmth to the service, recalling how her big brother always found clever ways to teach them something. For her, at barely the age of six, Raila made her watch the news and tell him what she had learnt.
“I barely understood anything. I only remembered the name of the newsreader and an advert for Vaseline hair tonic although I called it ‘baseline hair tonic!’”
From Ruth Odinga, the tone turned reflective as she spoke of the years their family endured separation, exile, and uncertainty during Raila’s detentions.
“Some of you don’t know what Mama Ida has gone through,” she said, her voice filled with emotion. “This was a stoic man. The family suffered because he sacrificed himself.”
Her words were a reminder that behind the weight of the political sacrifices Raila made for Kenya were carried by the family that loved him.
Emily Oginga remembered her brother as a brave yet composed businessman.
“It was normal for Raila to be teargassed, water-hosed, and even shot at,” she said, “only for him to show up later at the boardroom for meetings with his tormentors as if nothing had happened.”
On the other hand, his children remembered him as a gentle father.
Rosemary Odinga spoke of a father who nurtured their confidence and curiosity. “Our father was someone who believed in us as individuals,” she said. “He listened keenly to what we had to say and helped us sharpen our ideas. He taught us to love Kenya and the continent of Africa.”
Her brother, Raila Odinga Jr, lightened the mood with a joke about the holiday Baba had given the nation because of the accorded state funeral granted to the former Prime Minister.
“I know Baba is smiling,” he said, grinning, “because he’s given us so many holidays, and now he’s given us Easter in October.”
And while Winnie Odinga chose not to make a speech, she expressed her gratitude by naming and thanking those who had stood by her father and the family.
Ida Odinga concluded the family speeches by speaking of a man she had loved for 54 years. To conclude her heartfelt speech, she spoke to him directly, saying she had no regrets and would do it all again with him, given the chance.
“Fare thee well, my husband. Fare thee well, father of our children,” she said, her tone heavy with emotion. “If we were to start again, I would be there with you.”
A hero returns home
Raila Odinga died on Wednesday, October 15, in India of cardiac arrest. Upon the announcement of his death, President William Ruto declared 7 days of mourning and accorded the former Prime Minister a state funeral, calling him a true example of resilience, a peace ambassador and a dignified statesman.
In his speech today, President William Ruto called him a visionary.
“His courage, his vision, and his unyielding faith in our collective destiny will forever illuminate the path of our nation,” President Ruto said. “His return to Bondo was not merely a homecoming; it was the embrace of a grateful Republic bidding farewell to one of its greatest sons, a patriot who devoted his life to the cause of justice, democracy, and the enduring unity of our beloved Kenya.”
Raila was buried on October 19 at Kang’o ka Jaramogi, a protected museum at his homestead in Bondo.
