President William Ruto today, Friday paid an emotional tribute to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, describing him as a patriot whose life was defined by sacrifice, courage, and an unyielding belief in Kenya’s promise.
Speaking before thousands gathered at Nyayo Stadium for Raila’s State Funeral, Ruto thanked the Odinga family for “sharing him with the nation,” acknowledging the personal cost that came with a lifetime in public service.
“To Mama Ida and your children — Rosemary, Raila Junior, and Winnie — as well as the larger Odinga family led by Dr Oburu Odinga, please accept the nation’s heartfelt condolences,” the President said. “Thank you for sharing him so generously with us, as families and as a nation.”
The President’s tribute was part eulogy, part reflection — a message steeped in respect for a man who, he said, had repeatedly placed Kenya above self-interest.
“Across face and time, there are few exceptional persons who, when summoned by history, rise to meet the challenges of their time with indomitable vigour and unwavering valour,” Ruto told mourners. “Raila Odinga was one of those rare few.”
Ruto praised Raila for entering into a working agreement with his administration earlier this year — a move widely credited with quelling the youth-led protests that had shaken his presidency.
“The man in whose honour we gather today — we salute you for the great statesman and patriot that you were,” Ruto said, his tone both solemn and reflective.
The two men’s political relationship had long swung between rivalry and cooperation. From their days in the 2007 Pentagon alliance to the fierce election battles that followed, they were, at different times, adversaries and allies. Yet, Ruto said, what endured was mutual respect and shared conviction in Kenya’s democratic journey.
“We have been both collaborators and competitors, friends and rivals, but always patriotic Kenyans united by a dream greater than ourselves — a dream of a united motherland,” he said.
Ruto referred to Raila with the warmth of a long-time comrade, invoking his familiar nicknames — Tinga, Jakom, Woud Mary, Woud Ping, and Baba. He described him as “a man easy to forgive for the greater good of all.”
“Amolo may no longer walk with us, but his spirit lives within every Kenyan and every African,” Ruto said. “Even in his absence, his presence endures.”
The President closed his tribute with a reflection on legacy — a reminder, perhaps, that history’s measure of leadership rests not on victories alone, but on moments of grace.
“As I have reflected on Raila’s legacy following his passing, I have no doubt that history will judge him fairly and kindly,” Ruto said. “Whenever the nation needed him to rise above self, he always did.”
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