Peter Imwatok details why some ODM members did not mourn Raila properly
By Luke Oluoch, January 7, 2026Nairobi County Assembly Majority Leader Peter Imwatok has sensationally claimed that party officials were not given time to mourn the late leader Raila Odinga.
Speaking to Milele FM Radio on what would have been Raila Odinga’s 81st birthday on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, Imwatok stated that the late leader’s burial was taken over by brokers, barring millions of ODM supporters countrywide from properly mourning the political icon.
“We did not mourn our leader as ODM members: brokers hijacked the occasion. If you note how Raila used to conduct his business, he used to visit all regions before making any major political decision. After his death and his last wish to be buried within 72 hours, the government took over the burial as a state function. How did we mourn him as ODM officials and members?” he posed.
According to the County Assembly majority leader, the party ought to have planned separate plans to mourn the leader and give him a fitting closure to come to terms with his death.
“We did not mourn him, nor did we have any closure as ODM members. We ought to have made public plans across the country for the party members and supporters to mourn their leader,” he stated.
Rely on Raila’s public statements
On the future and political direction of the ODM party, Imwaotk has implored Kenyans to rely on Raila Odinga’s public statements and treat with contempt claims from politicians based on claims of private conversations.
His remarks come after ODM’s communication director Philip Etale also weighed in on the issue of mixed signals from leaders over their private conversation with Raila.
Speaking on Monday, December 5, 2025, Etale decried the current infighting among ODM members in the wake of their leader’s death, terming the situation as saddening for the departed leader.
Appeal to ODM
“To the people of ODM, what we should be doing today is talking about how we can strengthen our party, as Baba said in one of his final party engagements. He urged us to build the party and make it strong, even when he was there (many seem never to have understood him).
“My plea is, let us give Raila Amolo Odinga the respect we gave him when he lived. As a spirit that he is today, he feels bad when we are determined to kill what he shed blood and tears for,” he stated.
He challenged members to cease bickering and instead focus on fulfilling Raila’s final wishes and the aspirations he had for Kenyans, such as accomplishing the 10-point agenda between the ODM party and President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza government.