“I Have Lost a Friend and a Brother,” President Uhuru Kenyatta Mourns Raila Odinga
NAIROBI, Kenya – October 15, 2025 – A somber and deeply personal tribute from former President Uhuru Kenyatta has followed the announcement of the passing of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, painting a picture of a journey from fierce political rivalry to a cherished partnership for national unity.
In a heartfelt message dated today, the 4th President of Kenya described his heart as heavy and his spirit burdened with a grief that was both “profound and deeply personal.” He spoke of a silencing of a “voice of thunder and conviction” that has left an echo across the nation.
President Kenyatta revealed that to him, Raila was “more than a political colleague,” but a “defining part” of his own journey. He candidly addressed their history as political adversaries, acknowledging they were “navigators on opposing currents” whose competition often felt “immense.”
“He was a man who made you sharpen your own ideas, compelling you to defend your positions with rigor and passion,” Kenyatta stated, referring to Odinga by the fond moniker ‘Baba’.
However, the core of the former President’s message focused on their transformative reconciliation. He highlighted that in recent years, a “different bond was forged; one of respect, of shared patriotism, and a common desire to see a united Kenya.”
This journey, which culminated in the historic “Handshake” of March 2018, taught Kenyatta the “true measure of the man.” He praised Odinga’s “unwavering passion for this country, his deep-seated belief in justice, and his incredible capacity to think beyond personal ambition for the sake of national peace.”
“He was a formidable opponent, but he was an even more invaluable ally in the cause of reconciliation,” the statement read.
In a poignant conclusion, the former President made his loss intensely personal: “I have lost a friend and a brother. I will miss our conversations — sometimes challenging, always insightful — and the fire of belief that never left his eyes.”
Kenyatta extended his deepest condolences to Mama Ida Odinga, the children, and the entire Odinga family, acknowledging their lifetime of sharing “Baba with Kenya.”
The nation, he said, has lost “a father to the nation, a steadfast champion for the people, and a true son of Kenya.” He assured that Odinga’s legacy is not only in the political battles he fought but is “etched in the very fabric of our nation” through the peace he helped build.
Signing off with a final farewell, Uhuru Kenyatta wrote, “Rest in peace, my brother. Your work here is done, but your echo will never fade.”
