Ida Odinga has called on Kenyans to uphold the values of peace, forgiveness and unity espoused by her late husband, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Speaking during a memorial service marking the first anniversary of Raila’s death at Migwena Cultural Grounds in Bondo, Siaya County, on Thursday, Ida assured the public that Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Oburu Oginga was resting on doctors’ advice.
She said Oburu had asked her to convey that he was well and needed prayers for strength.
“Oburu is fine, and doctors told him to rest and stay away from a rowdy rally like this,” she said.
Ida urged mourners to focus on remembering Raila, saying the gathering had brought together his family, friends and supporters to celebrate his life.
“Today we came to remember Raila Odinga,” she said, adding that some people might have attended with different intentions.
She described Raila as a leader who remained committed to his convictions but was willing to engage political opponents in the interest of peace.
“Baba held his conviction fiercely, yet he sat across the table from those opposing him and those who hated him. If you think somebody is your enemy, it should not stop you from loving them again. I watched his face as he forgave them,” she said.
Ida also appealed to young people to pursue change peacefully and avoid turning their political convictions into violence.
“To young people, do not let your passion turn into weapons. Don’t harm one another because they do not believe in what we believe in,” she said.
She warned against individuals seeking to use Raila’s name to advance their own interests, saying his legacy should be preserved through the values he upheld.
“In the months ahead, voices will rise in his name. Some will speak out of love, some out of convenience. Legacy is not inherited; it will live on, and Raila’s will live on,” she said.
Ida thanked those who had continued to support the family since Raila’s death.
Reflecting on her loss, she said his absence remained deeply felt at home, even a year after his death.
“It is difficult for me to think it has been a year because it still feels like he left the other day,” she said.
She recalled leaving the door open in the evenings, hoping he would return, before eventually accepting that he was gone.
“Every time we are in the house, we still hope we will hear steps of him coming in,” she said.
Raila died on 15 October 2025, aged 80, while receiving medical treatment in India.
He was buried at Kang’o ka Jaramogi in Bondo, where a mausoleum dedicated to him and his father, Kenya’s first Vice-President Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, stands.
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