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Orange Democratic Movement party leader Raila Odinga yesterday revisited his ordeal at the hands of the former dictatorial Kanu regime, which saw him detained, tortured and his life threatened.

Raila narrated how he was tortured in Manyani while in detention and later transferred to Kamiti Maximum Prison where he almost died from head injuries and pains.

Speaking to a women’s conference dubbed ‘Azimio La Umoja Wanawake’ in Nairobi yesterday, Raila described the role his wife, Ida, played when he was in detention, adding that he would not have been where he is were it not for her.

“I was a trouble maker. But she went through hell herself. When I was sick in prison, I was given the wrong medicine.

I was in so much pain. I could hardly sleep. I went on hunger strike,” Raila recalled.

He told the women how one day after he was transferred to Kamiti, he got a tissue paper and wrote to Ida about his sickness.

Raila disclosed that he used a friendly prison warder to smuggle the note to Ida, who went to see a doctor and got some drugs that were smuggled to him in solitary confinement.

Strong woman

He narrated how he could not sleep due to the head pains and failed to read the note. 

“I had to hide it under the mattress because I was unable to read. One day, when warders were doing rounds, they found the note and took it to a handwriting expert and traced it to Ida. She was then sacked from Kenya High School where she was a teacher,” stated Raila.

“They would later come to arrest her. I was released and re-arrested the third time.

I was told that they wanted to finish me. I escaped and went to exile. Ida arranged the escape.

“I came out of prison and was arrested again after six months. I was taken to the dungeon at Nyayo House where I was kept for two weeks.

Ida looked for a lawyer. They issued a detention order and was transferred to Kamiti, then Naivasha.”

Raila told the women that one day Ida went to visit the Mothers of Prisoners, who were at the time camping at the All Saints’ Cathedral. “Ida went to talk to the women who were at All Saints.

The headlines wrote: “The plot thickens; Ida meets Women of Prisoners.” She was sacked again from the Ministry of Education.”

Raila also explained how her two daughters, Rosemary and Winnie, were named.

“Rosemary was born when my mother was still alive. Ida wanted to name her Rose because her mother is Rose and I wanted her to be named Mary. So we decided to name her Rosemary.

Winnie was born after my mother had died. She was named after a German friend, Winnie Imgard. Her other name is ‘Kazi’ because she likes to work,” said Raila.

International standard 

On national issues, Raila said his administration will focus on Universal Health Coverage should he clinch the presidency in 2022.

He said it is regrettable that Kenyans were still struggling to afford quality healthcare.

ODM boss also pledged his government would increase the doctor-to-patient ratio to international standards to address health issues. 

“We will upgrade facilities and evenly distribute doctors to cover the entire country. Doctors will have better terms to enable them serve Kenyans full-time,” Raila said.

The pro-handshake women leaders announced countrywide campaigns to popularise Raila’s candidature and the Azimio la Umoja drive.

Women, led by Chief Administrative Secretary Beatrice Elachi, said Raila is the most experienced leader to take over from President Uhuru Kenyatta.

They are pushing for consolidation of the women agenda into Raila’s manifesto even as they seek to field at least 5,000 women candidates in next elections to guarantee realisation of the gender rule.

To address the gender imbalance in government, former Nyeri Woman Rep Priscilla Nyokabi demanded that Raila’s government considers on 50-50 basis women in the appointments of Cabinet and Principal Secretaries.“This is a journey of unity and peace.

Today the women join the Azimio La Umoja train and we will help in bringing together to this ship,” said Nyokabi, a National Gender and Equity Commissioner.

“We confirm our commitment that we are with you in this journey because we know we are safe in your hands,” said Kabondo Kasipul MP Eve Obara.

Murang’a MP Sabina Chege confessed that her Kikuyu community had to demonise the ODM leader in Mt Kenya for Uhuru to win, saying they have now embarked on a journey to undo the propaganda.

“We have called you many names, on behalf of Central region, I ask for forgiveness. We do not have a reformist, a person who has fought for democracy as Baba,” Chege said.