NAIROBI, Kenya — Edwin Sifuna, the Nairobi Senator, has paid an emotional tribute to the late Raila Odinga following his first visit to the veteran politician’s gravesite in Kang’o ka Jaramogi, Siaya County, six months after his burial.
Speaking during the visit, Sifuna described the moment as deeply painful and reflective, saying the absence of the longtime Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader continues to weigh heavily on both the party and the country’s political landscape.
“It is my first time coming back here since we buried my boss, my friend, my mentor,” Sifuna said. “It has been a difficult six months for all of us who knew Raila because a lot has happened since he left us.”
Odinga, widely known by his supporters as “Jakom,” was a towering figure in Kenya’s opposition politics, remembered for decades of advocacy for democratic reforms, civil liberties, and electoral justice.
His death marked the end of an era for ODM and reshaped the dynamics of opposition politics.
Sifuna recalled a similar wave of emotions earlier this year when he and other leaders visited Odinga’s Karen residence to mark what would have been his birthday, saying such moments continue to underscore the void left by the seasoned politician.
“I honestly miss my boss because Jakom was unlike anybody else we have ever had the opportunity to work under,” he said. “If Mzee was alive, we would be running around the country with him.”
The senator admitted he is still struggling to come to terms with Odinga’s absence, particularly given their previously active political engagements across the country.
“I just do not understand why he is not around to run around with us the way we used to do it,” he added.
Despite the grief, Sifuna said ODM leaders remain committed to preserving Odinga’s legacy and advancing the ideals he championed, including the push for accountable governance and a citizen-centered state.
He acknowledged that the past six months have been challenging not only for party members but also for Kenyans who identified with the late Odinga’s political vision.
“But everything happens for a reason. It has been a very difficult six months for the party, for everyone who believed in Mzee,” he said.
“But I hope he is not disappointed with us wherever he is.”
Sifuna emphasized that ODM has resolved to continue pursuing reforms associated with Odinga’s political career, particularly in strengthening democracy and protecting civil freedoms.
He noted that many of the struggles that defined Odinga’s activism remain unresolved decades later.
Reflecting on Kenya’s political trajectory, Sifuna expressed frustration that issues fought for during the pro-democracy movements of the 1990s persist today.
“It is very annoying that some of the things they were fighting for are the same things we are pushing for,” he said, referencing past generations of reformists.
He warned that failure to secure meaningful progress risks passing the same burdens to future generations.
“If my nine-year-old will still be fighting for the freedom to post something on social media in 2050, then we will not have achieved anything as a generation,” he said.
