In a moment heavy with grief, Mama Ida Odinga, the wife of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, finally broke her silence following his sudden death in Kochi City, India.
Standing before a sea of mourners at their Karen home in Nairobi, Ida’s voice trembled. The weight of her words reflected not only the pain of personal loss but the heartbreak of an entire nation.
“Poleni sana. Najua nyinyi wote mmeshtuka kwa yale yametokea. Hatukutegemea ingekuwa hivi, lakini imeshafanyika. Kwa hivyo mtulie,” she said — her voice breaking as tears welled up in the crowd.
Surrounded by leaders including Governors Gladys Wanga and Wavinya Ndeti, Mama Ida remained composed, yet visibly shattered.
Her short message offered no political spin, no rehearsed tribute—just the raw, painful truth: “We didn’t expect this. But it has happened.”
A Nation in Shock
Raila Odinga’s death on the morning of October 15 stunned the country. Indian newspaper Mathrubhumi reported that he collapsed during a morning walk within the grounds of an Ayurvedic hospital in Kochi City, India, where he had accompanied his daughter for treatment.
He was rushed to Devamatha Hospital in Koothattukulam, but was pronounced dead shortly after—at 7:22 AM Kenyan time.
The news came as a shock to many. Just a week earlier, his elder brother Oburu Odinga had assured the public that Raila was recovering well. “He’s up and about… he was just slightly indisposed,” Oburu had said.
A Widow, A Nation, A Legacy
Ida’s simple but deeply human message cut through the noise. It reminded Kenyans that behind the political titan was a husband, a father, a friend—and a family now grieving with the rest of the country.
As tributes continue to pour in, Mama Ida’s words echo a shared national sorrow—the pain of losing not just a leader, but the very soul of a generation’s dream.
