Osotsi: Beryl Odinga suffered for long we thought she would go before Raila
ODM Deputy Party Leader and Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi has revealed that the late Beryl Achieng Odinga had been suffering for a long time, to a point where many believed she might pass away before her brother, the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Speaking on Saturday, December 6, 2025, during Beryl’s burial ceremony in Bondo, Osotsi said Beryl’s long illness had been known within the family and among close political allies for years.
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He described Beryl’s suffering as long and difficult, adding that her passing had deeply affected those who had watched her battle illness quietly over the years.
He noted that even when Raila was still alive, they would hear reports about Beryl’s deteriorating health, and it often came up in conversations about her struggles.
Osotsi extended condolences on behalf of his family, Nairobi Senator and ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna and CS Wycliffe Oparanya.
“I want to pass my own and my family’s condolences to the family of Beryl Achieng Odinga. I want to pass condolences of Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, CS Wycliffe Oparanya. I know Beryl has suffered for a long time. We used to hear about her suffering when our party leader was still alive, and we thought she would go before Raila Odinga, but God’s plan is different,” Osotsi stated.
Beryl’s death comes shortly after Kenya mourned Raila Odinga, who died on October 15, 2025, while undergoing treatment in India.
Raila passed away after a heart attack, bringing an end to a long political career that shaped Kenya’s democracy for decades. His death triggered a national outpouring of grief, with thousands gathering at the airport to receive his body when it returned to Nairobi. The government declared seven days of national mourning and later accorded him a state funeral.
Raila was remembered as a central figure in Kenya’s political history, a former prime minister and veteran opposition leader who spent his life fighting for democratic reforms. His burial in drew leaders from across Africa and beyond.
