Letters to Baba: What we wish we could tell Raila Odinga now
The news of Raila Odinga’s death has left the nation in deep sorrow. From politicians to celebrities, Kenyans are struggling to come to terms with the loss of a man who shaped the country’s history for decades.
Many wish they could speak to him one last time, to thank him, to seek his wisdom once more, or simply to say goodbye.
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The tributes that have poured in since his passing reflect a nation mourning not just a leader, but a father figure, a mentor, and a symbol of hope.
They wish they could see him one more time
Lang’ata MP Phelix Odiwuor, popularly known as Jalang’o, shared a heartfelt message to the late leader, describing Raila as a guiding light throughout his journey.
“Today, I speak not just as the Member of Parliament for Lang’ata, but as a son paying tribute to the man whose shadow gave me shelter, whose wisdom lit my path, and whose name carries the weight of our nation’s dreams — Raila Amolo Odinga,” he said.
Jalang’o added, “Baba, you are more than a leader. To me, you are a father. A mentor. A constant. When others saw a young man chasing politics, you saw potential. When the noise around me grew too loud, your voice of calm and clarity grounded me. And when the journey to Lang’ata seemed impossible — it was your hand that lifted me and your belief that carried me through.”
They wish they could hear his voice again
Junet Mohammed, another close ally, described Raila as a man whose selflessness held Kenya together during its most difficult moments.
“I am profoundly saddened by the passing of the Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga, the former Prime Minister of Kenya and Party Leader of the ODM Party,” he said. “Raila Odinga embodied an enduring commitment to the idea that Kenya was bigger than any one of us.
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He pulled our country from the brink of collapse time and again.” Junet added that Raila’s vision was not just about resisting injustice but building a Kenya he believed in, one where fairness and unity would thrive.
They wish they could thank him in person
Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah also paid tribute, recalling his last conversation with Raila.
“When the news was broken to us early this morning by the President, it was a difficult moment because a few weeks ago, I spoke to the former Prime Minister when he called to console me when I lost my dad,” he said.
“I will live to recall how, whenever I spoke to the former Prime Minister, he called me ‘my son’.
Across the nation, these words echo a shared pain, a longing for one more chance to see him, to listen to him, and to say, “Thank you, Baba.”
