BONDO, Kenya — Ruth Odinga, the sister of the former Prime Minister, the late Raila Amolo Odinga, has given a moving tribute recounting the years she spent in exile with her brother during his political persecution.
Speaking at the state funeral service at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) on Sunday, Ruth described herself as “one of the first women exiles,” recalling how she lived with Raila in Norway after he was forced into exile during the struggle for multiparty democracy.
“I have been with Raila throughout, even when he was sent into detention,” she said. “He became a refugee in Norway and stayed with me. You do not know what Mama Ida went through staying without her husband for nine years.”
Her remarks drew emotional applause from mourners, as she praised her late brother’s resilience and their sister-in-law Ida Odinga’s unwavering strength during the family’s darkest years. Ruth’s reflection painted a vivid picture of sacrifice, endurance, and the personal cost of Raila’s lifelong fight for Kenya’s freedom and justice.
