Ida Odinga, the widow of Raila Odinga, has challenged the national leadership to put the good of the country at the forefront.

Speaking on Sunday, October 19, 2025, Ida invoked the name of her husband, urging the political class to rethink their call to leadership.

“Please focus on changing the country. Let us not enrich ourselves to acquire wealth for ourselves but for Kenyans and our generation to come,” she stated.

The canon addressed the subject of wealth creation as a means to ensure the sustainability of the next generation.

A teacher by profession, Ida could not overemphasise the significance of imparting better quality education to the coming generation.

Better education

“In the name of Raila, I appeal that we focus on national wealth rather than personal wealth and quality education, one that will enable us to be people that God made us to be,” she stated.

She also acknowledged individuals who stood by the family at times of mourning.

She particularly mentioned retired President Uhuru Kenyatta for being a true friend of the family.

‘I want to acknowledge our former President Uhuru Kenyatta. He is a true friend. He stood by our side,” Ida said amid cheers from the mourners convened at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University.

“Your words, your letters, and social media have gone a long way in lessening our pain and lifting the burden from us,” she added.

Her remarks followed after Emily Odinga paid a solemn tribute to Raila Odinga for his outstanding career in diplomacy and nation building.

Oginga lauded the ease with which Raila put aside his differences and rancour against his tormentors to extend an olive branch for the better of the country.

“The hallmark of his career was in the struggle for democracy across Africa. It is this record that earned him the special envoy of the African Union in 2011,” she stated.

“He effortlessly moved from dusty Kamukunji grounds to boardroom meetings within an hour. It was normal for Raila to be teargassed, waterhosed, and even shot at, only for him to show up at the boardroom for a meeting with his tormentors as if the torture at the field did not happen,” she stated.