For more than a decade and a half, the late Raila Amolo Odinga “Baba”, trusted one man with a surprisingly intimate part of his life: his haircut. Julius Kamau Kimani, a humble barber in Nairobi, was that man.

For 17 years, Kimani stood by his barber’s chair, trimming Baba’s hair, listening to his thought and earning not just patronage, but also something approaching friendship.

Kimani first met Raila back in 2008, when the latter walked into the barbershop then known as Ashley’s. Over time, that transactional haircut appointment evolved into tradition. It became clear that Raila did more than just get a trim, he trusted Kimani.

In an interview, Kimani recalls being given a nickname by Raila, a small but meaningful gesture that made their bond more personal than client-and-barber.

Their relationship went beyond clippers. Through Kimani, Raila shared stories, hope and even confidence. On his last known haircut, on August 1, 2025, Raila asked Kimani what he wanted most in life. Kimani, taken aback, eventually said he would like to shave President William Ruto’s hair. Raila responded, with characteristic encouragement, “It is possible.”

Those words stayed with Kimani; a promise filled with respect and grace, though fate did not allow it to come to fruition.

That day, Raila also displayed his generous spirit. A young boy, Maliq Ahmed Ibrahim and his father, waiting in line for a haircut, caught Baba’s eye. Raila asked to cut the queue for the boy and later paid for both their haircut and tipped the barbershop staff.

It was a simple moment, but it revealed so much like his humility, his kindness and how he carried himself even in the most ordinary of places.

When Raila passed away in October 2025, the barbershop felt the loss deeply. Kimani says the conversation stopped, the laughter faded and the seat that had held his client for years now feels like an empty space.

Over the years, their bond was witnessed and celebrated by many. Kenyans on social media noted how personal those haircut sessions seemed, not just about grooming but about trust.

For Raila, haircuts with Kimani weren’t part of a campaign photo-op; they were moments of repose, a rare space where a towering political figure could simply be a man in a chair.

The partnership of Raila and Kimani was more than a client-barber relationship. Its was a quiet testament to loyalty and humble humanity, a reminder that even among the noise of politics, some bonds remain grounded in simplicity and respect.