Former President Uhuru Kenyatta made a quiet return to the Odinga family home in Kang’o ka Jaramogi, Bondo, on Monday to pay his respects to the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. His visit came just a day after Odinga’s burial, marking a deeply personal moment for the former Head of State, who shared both rivalry and friendship with the late opposition leader.
During the visit, Kenyatta was accompanied by Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga, Raila’s elder brother. The two walked together to the gravesite, where Kenyatta stood silently for several moments.
His expression was somber and reflective, his eyes fixed on the freshly laid grave of the man with whom he shared a long, complicated political journey. At one point, he raised his right hand briefly toward the grave, as if in silent conversation or farewell. No words were spoken to the media. After a short prayer beside Senator Oginga, Kenyatta left the homestead quietly, avoiding the cameras and public attention.
Raila Odinga had passed away the previous Wednesday after collapsing while in India. His burial on Sunday was a solemn ceremony attended by close family, government officials, and invited guests. The event included full state honours, a 17-gun salute, and moments of deep emotion as Kenya bid farewell to one of its most influential political figures.
Raila was laid to rest beside his parents, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and Mary Ajuma, continuing the family’s legacy of national influence.
Uhuru Kenyatta, who attended the burial and placed a wreath on Raila’s grave, described him as a “brother, friend and patriot.” He spoke of a profound loss, not only for himself but for the entire country.
In his earlier tribute, Kenyatta reflected on the many years of political competition that defined their relationship before they reconciled through the historic 2018 Handshake.
He noted that their rivalry had been intense, particularly during the contested 2017 elections, but said that over time, they had both realized the need for peace and unity above personal ambition.
The Handshake, he said, was not a political convenience but a shared act of patriotism aimed at stabilizing a divided nation.
Kenyatta described Raila as a man of conviction, courage, and vision a leader who constantly challenged others to think deeply and act with integrity. He said that Raila’s ability to separate personal ambition from the national good was one of his greatest strengths.
“I saw first-hand his unwavering passion for this country and his belief in justice,” Kenyatta once said, recalling their many discussions about Kenya’s future.
In closing his reflections, Kenyatta said he would always remember Raila as a true statesman whose ideas, intellect, and resilience shaped Kenya’s political history.
“I have lost a friend and a brother,” he said. “I will miss our conversations sometimes challenging, always insightful and the fire of belief that never left his eyes.”The quiet visit in Bondo, away from political speeches and public ceremonies, seemed to capture the depth of Kenyatta’s respect and affection for Raila Odinga a final, private farewell between two men whose paths had defined an era in Kenya’s story.
