Nairobi — President William Ruto on Thursday paid an emotional tribute to the late opposition leader and former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, describing him as “irrevocably stubborn in his vision for a just, prosperous, and united Kenya.”
Speaking during the State Funeral Service held at Nyayo National Stadium, President Ruto hailed Odinga as a transformative figure whose courage, conviction, and resilience helped shape Kenya’s political destiny for generations.
“Every once in our generation, there comes a leader whose impact transcends their moment — whose courage inspires change, and whose vision shapes destinies. My brother, Raila Amolo Odinga, was one such leader,” said Ruto, addressing a solemn crowd that included heads of state, dignitaries, and thousands of mourners.
Ruto described Odinga as a patriot who lived for Kenya and gave more to the nation than most ever could — enduring imprisonment, exile, and political struggle not for personal gain but for the principle of service.
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“He bore the scars of his struggles with dignity and calm, turning pain and suffering into purpose. Jakom was at home in the humblest of homes and at ease on the grandest global stages. His heart belonged to the people,” Ruto said.
Pentagon ally
The President recounted his long and complex political journey with Odinga, recalling moments when they stood together as allies in pursuit of reform — and later faced each other as competitors in Kenya’s charged political arena.
“I have come a long way with Baba. When I stood by him with the other Pentagon members at a defining moment in our nation’s history, I never imagined that one day we would find ourselves on opposite sides — or that later, he would stand by me to steady the nation and help anchor my leadership,” he noted.
Ruto said Odinga’s legacy transcended politics, describing him as both a reformer and a reconciler who consistently rose above self-interest for the sake of national unity.
“Whenever the nation needed him to rise above self, he did so unreservedly. Whenever Kenya needed reason, he became the voice of reason. Whenever the country needed a hand of reconciliation, he offered it without hesitation,” Ruto said.
He emphasized that Odinga’s famed “stubbornness” was not obstinacy but rather an unshakable commitment to a higher ideal — the belief in a Kenya where opportunity belongs to all and justice favors none.
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“Those who worked closely with the Right Honorable Raila Odinga know that he was irrevocably stubborn in his vision for a just, prosperous, and united Kenya. He proved that progress demands both courage and patience — that we must be stubborn on the vision but agile on the details,” the President added.
