Raila’s aide Dennis Onyango: Baba knew his time was up
Raila Odinga’s longtime aide Dennis Onyango has revealed that the late opposition leader knew his time was coming to an end long before his death on October 15, 2025.
Onyango, speaking in a YouTube interview on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, said he could tell from Raila’s words and actions that he was preparing to rest and slowly winding up his affairs.
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Speaking about his close working relationship with the ODM leader, Onyango said he was among those who encouraged Raila to take a break from public life.
“I am one of those people who pushed him to leave the country, to go and rest somewhere,” he said.
“Slightly more than a year earlier, I told people, I knew, Raila knew that his time was up. From the way he was talking, from the instructions we were…”
Onyango said he travelled with Raila to Germany in February 2024, where he noticed a change in his behaviour and priorities.
“I travelled with him to Germany in February 2024. He took me to his schools, but on that entire tour in Germany, he kept on insisting, have you carried your notebook? He would insist you take notes, so I could tell this guy wanted to tie loose ends,” he said.
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‘He was tying loose ends’
Onyango said that during the visit, Raila seemed keen to revisit his past and confirm details about his education.
“I could tell that he was tying up these loose ends. We went to the university, and the professor there confirmed that he graduated with a degree. Raila’s name was there as one of the top performers,” Onyango said.
He described the trip as a sign that Raila was reflecting deeply on his life and accomplishments.
“From that journey, I could tell this guy is winding up things. It was just that wisdom that comes with age, he knew his time was up,” he said.
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Onyango’s remarks have shed light on Raila’s final months, painting a picture of a leader who appeared calm and aware of the end approaching. Raila Odinga, who served as a major political figure for decades.
According to Onyango, Raila’s decision to rest was not sudden but a personal realisation that his long and eventful journey in life and politics was coming to a natural close.
