At the solemn gathering in Nyayo National Stadium, Rosemary Odinga, daughter of the revered late political figure Raila Odinga, delivered a raw and emotional tribute to her father. Unlike a formal political address, her speech was a touching account of a private loss shared with a grieving nation.
Rosemary began by addressing the mourners in Swahili, immediately connecting with the vast crowd.
“Mimi leo sina mengi ya kusema… najua nyinyi pia mnaskia uchungu mwingi sana kwa sababu Babu hakuwa baba yetu pekee, alikuwa baba yetu sisi wote.”
She introduced her children, Safi and Senai, as well as her siblings, Junior and Winnie, and her cousins, acknowledging the family’s collective grief at the stadium.
Seeking permission from the audience to speak in English, Rosemary then focused on the personal relationship she shared with her father. She confessed she hadn’t anticipated speaking that day and had too much to say, yet no time to say it all.
He was much more than a public figure to her, he was her advisor and friend. He was someone who understood her and her children very well.
The most poignant part of her address was the recollection of the moment she received the devastating news of her father’s passing. She vividly recounted the confusion and shock, she had just finished breakfast and was seated at the table when her brother, Junior, called and asked her to sit down. She recalled her confusion, wondering if she should sit on the floor, Junior then delivered the heartbreaking message: “Their father was no longer with them.”
“It was still difficult for me to come into the logic that my dad Raila was no longer there.”
Rosemary acknowledged the immense pain the family was enduring but found solace in mourning alongside the Kenyan people. She thanked everyone who had offered support and promised the family would continue to stand together.
She concluded by asking for divine strength, specifically for her mother, Ida Odinga, and for all the mourners present, to navigate this difficult time.
