Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's widow, Ida Odinga, delivers a speech on during her hurband's funeral at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology in Bondo, Siaya County, October 19, 2025.
A tribute by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s wife, Ida Odinga, to her husband bore both a display of deep emotional attachment that will last forever and at the same time a rallying cry to the country to honour him by living and implementing his values.
She took the thousands of mourners through a roller coaster of emotions, narrating how they met 54 years ago, the pain and trouble she went through with Mr Odinga during the detentions and exiles and why it was important that those remaining behind should heed to his final wishes.
Ms Odinga never imagined that the responsibility of burying the Orange Democratic Movement leader would fall on her, while she had hoped that it would be the other way round. She admitted that when she met Mr Odinga 54 years ago, she was not aware of his political side.
She recalled how, together with her young and idealistic friends at the University of Nairobi, she swore to marry calm professionals, and not those who gave the loudness of politics.
Ms Ida Odinga and her daughter Winnie Odinga lay a wreath on the grave of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga during his burial in Bondo, Siaya County on October 19, 2025. PCS
They had no time for those pursuing political science or law. Looking at the younger Odinga, she never noticed an ounce of politician in him, but was aware who his father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, was.
What happened next would later surprise her.
“Out of my group of girls, I was the first one to marry. I married an engineer with a calm demeanour and reflective character. All my friends congratulated me because of that, little did I know I was marrying a political engineer, who would proceed and make the engineering of Kenya a long-term project,” said Ida.
From the turn of events, she said, she got to understand first-hand the meaning of still waters run deep, having married a calm person who she later realised was a deep thinker of a different kind.
“Raila was not just an engineer; he was a political engineer. I evolved, adapted and handled challenges that came my way courtesy of being Raila’s wife. Those challenges were many,” she said.
Ida Odinga, widow of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and her children, Rosemary (left) and Winnie (centre) arrive at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology in Bondo, Siaya County, for her husband's funeral mass on October 19, 2025.
She narrated how years of detention, years of exile and decades of commitment to the people of Kenya and Africa tested their marriage, but they forged on to date.
She stated that through all that, what remained unchanged was their commitment to each other, their belief that Mr Odinga stuck to the vows they made to each other at the start and which bound them together.
“The detention years and those in exile tested our family. It was not easy, but when he was away in detention or exile, I knew he would always come back. This time, though, I will have to join him wherever he has gone, but his spirit lives on.”
She added, “If I had a chance to marry Raila, I would marry him again. I would be happy to do it, but this time I will marry him knowing he is a politician, not only an engineer.”
To Ida, their family was not any different from the others, with numerous challenges, but they navigated through them by talking straight with one another and forgiving each other.
“Juggling the family life and public life exerts extreme pressure and demands on us from time to time. I know we used to say that Raila belongs to the public more than he does to his family, but every time he came, he gave us time. He attended to us, individually,” said Ida.
She noted that apart from her, the person Mr Odinga loved even more than his children was his elder brother and Siaya Senator Dr Oburu Oginga.
“Raila would not do anything without consulting him. If you wanted to know what he was going to do, if you are clever, talk to Dr Oburu to soften the way before talking to him,” said Ida.
She revealed that the spouses of politicians face numerous challenges.
She encourages spouses of politicians to inherit their husband’s friends but not their enemies.
“You will be standing or sitting at home thinking so and so is an enemy of my husband because he belongs to a different party or comes from a different area, you will be wrong. Don’t inherit his enemies because those you thought were his enemies are his friends, and you would be left out. Be careful when you are handling his friends, but let him deal with his enemies the way he made them,” she said.
For Ms Odinga, her husband never stopped being a production engineer; he practised it, having established the East Africa Spectre, one of the leading gas cylinder manufacturers, which he thrived in.
She challenged politicians and the government to focus on growing and developing the country further, instead of selfish individual interests.
According to her, her husband had always been disturbed by the fact that Kenya was not moving as fast as he expected.
She challenged leaders to focus on changing the country.
“As Kenyans, we must also seek to transform our country. Let us not seek leadership to acquire wealth for ourselves but for Kenya and the generations to come. In the name of Raila, I appeal that we focus on national wealth instead of personal wealth. I appeal that we work on quality education that will lead us to be what God made us to be. Let us correct our health institutions, so that they give us the kind of life we want to live,” said Ms Odinga.
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