Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga added a touch of warmth and humour to an emotional farewell as she paid tribute to her late brother, former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, during his State Funeral.
Since the day was spent mourning and remembering, Ruth’s lighter moment offered a smile to those who mourned as she brought her Ghanaian husband out to meet the crowd. With a wink in her eye, she said, “You see my husband a Ghanaian. I also know how to pick a good husband!” Her light-hearted remark caused laughter, lifting the depressed mood of the packed hall.
Ruth went on to reveal that her love affair had a special relationship with her brother. “It was Raila who introduced me to my Ghanaian husband,” she declared as the crowd erupted into laughter. Getting serious, she resigned herself to the fact that everybody already knew that she had lost her “right-hand man” an idiom that had a touch of both humor and emotion.
Her spouse also mounted the podium, reading a respectful and emotional eulogy. “Jambo,” he said, warmly addressing the mourners. “I bring greetings from Ghana and the royal family. Raila was a great Kenyan leader, but also a man who was a champion of justice throughout Africa. It is an honour to pay tribute to a true statesman and visionary.
Ruth then introduced her son, Sankara Odinga, before giving a tearful eulogy to Raila’s dedication to Kenya’s democracy throughout his life. “Let my brother rest. He suffered for this country. He sacrificed more than people will ever know,” she said.
She reflected on their shared past, remembering the difficulties that had befallen them during Kenya’s period of political turmoil. Ruth shared how she fled through Uganda and Tanzania before seeking refuge in Norway, where she hosted Raila when he was exiled in 1990.
Ruth also recognized the men who remained loyal to Raila throughout his lifetime his longtime aides George Odiwuor, Maurice Ogeta, and his own doctor. “Ogeta has been traumatized since Raila passed away,” she whispered. “He took care of him tirelessly for 18 years and watched him battle through everything.”
Balancing tears, laughter, and pride, Ruth’s eulogy was just the right tone to capture the essence of the day commemorating Raila Odinga as not just a political legend but as a loved brother, husband, and father whose bravery forever altered Kenya.