Mama Ida Odinga has urged those who once disagreed with her late husband, Raila Odinga, to forgive him if he ever wronged them. Mama Ida Odinga asked those who feel offended by the late Raila Odinga to forgive him. Speaking at her Opoda home on Thursday, November 6, Ida acknowledged that Raila may have offended many during his political undertakings. Why Ida Odinga asked Raila’s critics to forgive him She emphasised that Raila never held grudges and often reconciled with former adversaries. Ida observed that her deceased husband, as a human, had his own weaknesses, which may have rubbed others in the wrong way. With him gone, she took it upon herself to apologise on his behalf.
“Now I’m asking on behalf of my husband, to all those people who called him names and who thought he was wrong, if he annoyed you, or if there’s something that he did and you did not like, I beg you to forgive him because he’s gone. But I can do that on his behalf. Forgive him because he was easy. He was forgiving people easily. He said, ‘Forgive, and let’s move on.’ So, you also, wherever you are, don’t hold grudges with him. He’s already gone. He is with his maker. He is with Christ. He’s with God. He’s not here,” she said. And in an intercessory tone, Ida expressed confidence that Raila’s spirit was in a place of peace, given the impactful life he lived. “I think the spirit is looking down and saying, what are they crying about? This is a good place. And I’m sure if there are people who go to a good place because of their past deed, Raila is one of those people,” she said. What advice did Ida Odinga give Kenyan youth?
At the same time, Ida counselled the youth to shun being used for political battles. She noted that politics harbors no enemies and that it is only interests that clash. Ida urged the young people to be wary not to be weaponised by politicians who would shake hands and reconcile later after their heated contests. “In politics, there are no enemies. Don’t think that because so and so is in a different party, he’s my enemy. He’s not your enemy. And don’t go fighting people on behalf. Particularly young people, don’t make yourselves tools to fight people who you perceive to be in the wrong party. You’ll be wasting your time; you’ll be killing each other for nothing because today, we are in different party, tomorrow, they’ll be in the same party. So, most important thing is that we fight for democracy in our country. I’m not a politician; I’m just talking. My profession is teaching. I’m a teacher. We are one people, and we must work on people of the same nation,” she said.
Ida spoke as she received Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka’s delegation that had come to mourn Raila. How Kalonzo Musyoka remembered Raila The Wiper leader reflected on the loss of a trusted ally and lifelong companion. He explained that his return to pay tribute, three weeks after Raila Odinga’s burial, was a fulfilment of a personal vow, which was hindered by the tight schedule of the state funeral. Kalonzo, Raila’s two-time presidential running mate, comforted the bereaved family while acknowledging the deceased’s profound influence on Kenya’s political journey. He recounted a life-threatening moment during the 2023 demonstrations against the rising cost of living, where he stood shoulder to shoulder with Raila amid a heavy police crackdown. In his emotional tribute, Kalonzo praised Raila’s unwavering pursuit of justice and the sacrifices that came with it. He recalled how they led protestors from the frontlines as security forces unleashed teargas, water cannons, and live rounds. Several demonstrators were struck by bullets, marking a grim chapter in their shared activism.
By Kai Eli
