BONDO, Kenya — Mama Ida Odinga, the widow of the former Prime Minister, the late Raila Amolo Odinga, delivered a heartfelt tribute at the state funeral service held at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) on Sunday, reflecting on her six decades of marriage to the late statesman.
“If I had a chance to marry him, I would marry him again,” she said to emotional applause from mourners. “But this time, I would marry him knowing I’m marrying a politician and not just an engineer.”
Ida shared candid reflections on the joys and struggles of being a politician’s wife, describing the sacrifices and resilience required to stand beside a man deeply devoted to his country.
“There are a lot of challenges that come with being a politician’s wife,” she noted. “Inherit his friends, but don’t inherit his enemies — because you may think they are still enemies, yet they have already made peace.”
Her words drew both laughter and tears from the packed crowd, offering a deeply personal glimpse into the love, strength, and grace that defined their marriage.
Ida’s tribute captured the spirit of a partnership rooted in faith, endurance, and shared commitment to Kenya’s democracy — a fitting reflection of the man the nation was bidding farewell to.
