BONDO, Kenya – Ida Odinga has challenged Kenyans to honour her late husband Raila Odinga’s legacy by embracing peace, tolerance and love as the country prepares for the 2027 General Election, warning against political hostility and violence.
Speaking during commemorations marking the first anniversary of Raila’s death at Migwena Cultural Grounds in Bondo, Siaya County, Ida asked Kenyans to uphold three values she described as gifts in her husband’s memory.
“I want to ask you for three gifts in his memory. I don’t want to ask for more. I want to ask for three gifts,” she told mourners.
Her first appeal was for peace, which she said required respect for others rather than simply the absence of conflict.
“Peace is not the absence of noise. It is the presence of respect. No victory is worth a mother’s tears. Please, let’s try to hold peace in our nation,” she said.
With political activity building ahead of the 2027 elections, Ida warned that competition for leadership should not turn Kenyans against one another.
Ida Urges Kenyans To Respect Political Rivals
Ida said Raila had demonstrated that strong political convictions did not have to prevent dialogue, reconciliation or engagement with opponents.
“Baba held his conviction fiercely. Yet he sat across the table from those opposing him and disagreed with him,” she said.
She urged Kenyans to embrace tolerance, noting that people could hold different political opinions without becoming enemies.
“If you think that somebody’s your enemy, that enemy should not stop you from loving him again, because Baba did that over and over again,” she said.
Her third appeal was for love and forgiveness, values she said were essential to maintaining unity despite political differences.
“Love is what we say to your rivals: ‘You are not my choice, but you are still my countryman,’” Ida said.
She reminded supporters that elections should be about choosing leaders, not destroying relationships or undermining the country’s unity.
“Now our people you are contesting against are not your enemies. You are contesting against them. When the election is over, let’s get together,” she said.
‘Do Not Let Your Passion Turn Into A Weapon’
Ida directed a special message to young people, urging them not to allow political loyalty or admiration for Raila to become a reason to harm others.
“Do not let your passion turn into a weapon. Do not let your love for Baba turn into a weapon because a weapon is meant to harm,” she said.
“Don’t harm one another just because they don’t believe in what you believe in. Don’t kill one another just because they don’t believe in what we believe in,” she added.
She also called on leaders and older generations to give young people room to express themselves, listen to their concerns and guide them with love where necessary.
At the same time, she urged young people to respect older generations, saying both sides had a responsibility to promote understanding and peaceful coexistence.
Ida Opens Up About Life Without Raila
Beyond her message on national unity, Ida spoke about the personal pain of losing her husband, whom she had known and loved for more than 50 years.
She described the first year without Raila as difficult for the family, made more painful by the death of another family member just 40 days after his passing.
The two losses, she said, weighed heavily on the family and affected its ability to respond to the expectations of supporters during the mourning period.
Ida recalled the quiet moments at home when she would leave the door open, hoping Raila would return in the evening as he had often done before his death.
“Sometimes Baba used to come late in the evening. I leave the door open, hoping that he is going to come in, and the door remains open for a very long time. Then later I realized he is not coming back and I go and close the door,” she said.
She thanked Kenyans across the country and in the diaspora for their prayers and support, saying their solidarity had helped her remain strong through the period of grief.
Ida Warns Against Political Exploitation Of Raila’s Legacy
Ida also urged supporters to protect Raila’s legacy through the institutions and initiatives being established in his name.
She cautioned against using his memory merely for political convenience, saying his legacy would depend on how people upheld the values he represented.
“In the months ahead, voices will rise in his name. Some will speak out of love. Some will speak out of convenience. Legacy is not inherited. It is not to be spent. It will live on,” she said.
