Ida Odinga during the funeral of the former Prime Minister in Bondo.(Courtesy)

By Kimberly Kalusi

A solemn mood enveloped the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) grounds in Bondo on Sunday as thousands gathered for the final funeral service of Kenya’s former Prime Minister, Raila Amolo Odinga.

Among the most moving tributes came from his widow, Mama Ida Odinga, who spoke with grace and quiet strength as she eulogised the man she described as her lifelong companion, political partner, and friend.

“It never once crossed my mind that I would have to bury Raila,” she said, her voice steady but heavy with emotion. “I always believed it would be the other way around.”

Clad in a black dress and a wide-brimmed matching hat, Mama Ida began her tribute by acknowledging God’s faithfulness, even amid what she called the darkest moment of her life. She thanked Kenyans for standing with her family through the days of mourning, saying their outpouring of love had shown how deeply her husband’s life had touched the nation.

“Raila loved his country more than himself,” she said. “He lived for the people, fought for justice, and never once wavered, even when the price was high. He belonged to Kenya — and Kenya belonged to him.”

The crowd, a sea of mourners waving miniature flags and portraits of the late statesman, listened in silence as Ida recounted their five-decade journey together — from their early years in Nairobi, through long stretches of political struggle, detentions, and exile, to the many campaigns that defined their public lives.

She recalled the countless times her husband’s political convictions brought pain to their family but said she had never once regretted standing by him. “We walked through fire, but we walked together,” she said, drawing applause from the congregation.

Raila Odinga, 80, passed away in India earlier this week. His body was flown back to Kenya on Thursday and received by tens of thousands of mourners in Nairobi before being transported to his Bondo home for burial. He is being laid to rest beside his father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Kenya’s first Vice President and independence hero.

The funeral — attended by President William Ruto, regional leaders, diplomats, and former African heads of state — has been marked by tight security following deadly stampedes during public viewings in Nairobi earlier in the week.

In his eulogy, President Ruto described Odinga as “a patriot whose voice shaped Kenya’s democratic journey,” adding that his political rival-turned-ally had “taught generations that leadership is about service, not power.”

Throughout the ceremony, speakers celebrated Odinga’s enduring legacy — as a freedom fighter, Pan-Africanist, and reformist who championed Kenya’s 2010 Constitution and tirelessly pushed for electoral justice.

Mama Ida concluded her tribute by asking Kenyans to honour her husband’s memory not with tears but with continued commitment to the ideals he lived for.

“Raila believed that Kenya could become a nation of fairness and dignity for all,” she said. “If we keep that dream alive, then his spirit will never die.”

As military pallbearers prepared to lower the casket, the crowd broke into chants of “Baba! Baba!” — a final farewell to a man whose name became synonymous with resilience and reform.