When Mama Ida Odinga stood to speak at her husband’s funeral, on Sunday, October 19, 2025, her message was simple but powerful.

“If you’re a spouse of a politician,” she said, “inherit his friends, but don’t inherit his enemies.” It was more than advice; it was a reflection of a life lived beside one of Kenya’s most polarising and unifying figures.

Her words captured the heart of Raila Odinga’s story: a man who built friendships across fierce divides, turned rivals into allies, and left behind a nation learning to do the same.

For decades, Raila’s political life was defined by confrontation and compromise in equal measure. He clashed bitterly with leaders like Daniel arap Moi, Mwai Kibaki, Uhuru Kenyatta, and William Ruto, but in each case, there came a moment when the walls fell. The very men who once opposed him later stood beside him in moments of national healing.

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta spoke with emotion at Raila’s burial. The two men, once fierce opponents in the 2013 and 2017 elections, had surprised the world in 2018 with the Handshake that changed Kenya’s political landscape. Uhuru called Raila a friend, a brother, and a leader, recalling their moments of laughter and reflection.

Their late-night talks over “chai na uji,” as Uhuru joked, showed how friendship could rise above political wounds.

Uhuru thanked the people of Bondo for giving Kenya a man whose wisdom, laughter and counsel will be deeply missed.

From rivalry to respect

President William Ruto, who long stood opposite Raila on Kenya’s political battlefield, also embodied Ida’s message. When Raila’s health declined, it was Ruto who helped facilitate his treatment in India. Later, he ensured that Raila received full state honours at his burial.

What once was political hostility had transformed into shared national pride. Ruto described Raila as a teacher and mentor, a man whose vision for Kenya transcended politics.

Other figures, like Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, also reflected on their bond with Raila. Their alliance, sometimes shaky but always loyal. Remember, their relationship was built on faith in the dream they called Canaan.

And then there was James Orengo, the Siaya Governor and Raila’s closest confidant. Once rivals in the 1990s, they became inseparable friends in later years. Orengo often stood beside Raila in court, in celebration, and in sorrow. To many Kenyans, he was the brother who walked with Baba through every storm.

Through it all, Ida’s reflection at the graveside tied the threads together. She had seen her husband forgive those who wronged him, embrace former foes, and laugh with people who once insulted him. That, she said, was the mark of true leadership, and true love.

Raila Amolo Odinga’s final journey was political and deeply human. It showed that legacies are not built on battles won, but on bridges built.

In the end, Mama Ida’s reflection stood as a message not just for spouses but for the country: to hold on to friendship, forgive where possible, and recognise that today’s rival might be tomorrow’s ally.

“If I had a chance to marry him again,” she said, smiling through tears, “I would do it again, but this time knowing I’m marrying a politician, not just an engineer.”

In that honesty lay the story of their life together, a union built on patience, forgiveness, and understanding that politics may divide, but love and respect endure.