Nyeri: Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga has joined other leaders across the country in eulogizing former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who died yesterday in India where he had gone for treatment. Kahiga described the former premier and ODM leader as a leader who sacrificed his life for his country's development and governance.
According to Kenya News Agency, the county boss stated that the country has lost a beacon of hope who dedicated much of his life fighting for the rights of the common man with dedication. 'As we wrestle with the sad news of the passing on of a legend in our country, The Rt Hon. Raila Amollo Odinga, and the doyen of Kenyan politics, our hearts are heavy with sorrow but also grateful to God for giving him 80 years of a life lived in pursuit of justice and human rights, sometimes at a painful cost to himself and his family,' the County boss stated on his Facebook account.
Kahiga affirmed that the country's political vibrancy is now weakened without the ingenuity of the opposition leader who made a stab at the presidency five times. The governor described Raila's leadership style as worth emulating, noting he managed to steer one of the oldest political parties in the country for more than two decades. 'The late Prime Minister loved and dedicated his life for the betterment of his country and his people. He was at the helm of the ODM party that has just celebrated twenty years of existence, since its inception,' Governor Kahiga noted.
'We celebrate him in a way for his way of reinventing himself every time he failed in his quest for power. He believed in never giving up.' The Governor also hailed Raila for his defense of devolution since the enactment of the 2010 constitution. Kahiga praised the input of the former premier in advancing the cause of devolution by calling for an increase in funding, a move that often ruffled feathers of many leaders.
'My last interaction with him was on August 15th in Homa Bay during the Devolution Conference. I recall his strong message in favour of Devolution that clearly cemented his unofficial title of 'THE FATHER OF DEVOLUTION,' wrote the county boss. 'We can only honour his spirit by fully implementing Devolution and strengthening the devolved units. To his spouse Mama Ida, and the children and the larger Odinga family, the ODM Fraternity and all his political supporters, we send our condolences. May his soul rest in peace.'
Ndia MP George Kariuki termed October 15 a day of sadness and gloom for the country, Africa, and the world at large following the demise of Raila. The lawmaker who was speaking in Nyeri on the sidelines of a community policing meeting for village elders, described the ODM chair as a charismatic leader who was ready and willing to set aside his personal ambitions and interests for the sake of the country as exhibited in what happened after the disputed 2007 General Election.
'Today we mourn the loss of a leader who was always ready to sacrifice his personal ambition for the sake of his country. When a dispute arose in 2007 over who had won the Presidential vote, it was Raila who played the bigger brother and agreed to go to the negotiating table with his political nemesis Mwai Kibaki. His magnanimity proved to the world that conflicts, however, complex could be resolved amicably as long as there was goodwill between the two warring sides,' he told the press.
He also lauded the fallen hero for his decision to join hands with President Dr. William Ruto in the Broad-Based government at a time the country was facing turbulence following the Gen-Z anti-government riots in June 2024. His Nyeri Town counterpart Duncan Mathenge described Raila as a leader for whom Kenya will take years to get a replacement.
While condoling with the family, supporters, and friends of the fallen veteran opposition leader, Mathenge said it was regrettable that the country never granted the opposition leader a chance to rule the country despite his track record. 'Raila was a dedicated leader who fought for this country with dedication. It is regrettable that we never gave him an opportunity to lead this great country over the years. Despite failing to capture the reins of power, he has rested after having ensured that his people are serving in the government of the day,' said the lawmaker.
Raila represented Lang'ata Constituency for many years, from 1992 to 2013. In subsequent years he served as a cabinet minister both in late President Daniel Moi and Mwai Kibaki's governments. In February 2024, he officially announced his candidacy for the African Union Commission Chairperson but lost the seat to Mahamoud Ali Youssef in February 2025 ballot.