The widow of Kenya’s former Prime Minister, the late Raila Odinga, who is also a United Nations Ambassador, Mama Ida Odinga, has disclosed that her husband appeared healthy and in good spirits during their final conversation before he unexpectedly collapsed and died while on a trip to India.
Speaking in an interview on October 14, 2026, ahead of events marking the first anniversary of his death, she said the veteran politician had travelled to India for a routine medical check-up, and doctors gave him a clean bill of health before he decided to take a short holiday in Kerala.
According to her, their final conversation was normal and gave no indication that he was unwell.
“When we spoke, everything was normal. There was nothing to suggest that he was unwell. We expected him to come back home after his trip,” Ida Odinga said.
She said the family was later informed that the former Prime Minister had collapsed and that efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful. According to her, the news came as a shock because there had been no indication that he was facing a serious health problem.
Ida said the family chose to commemorate the first anniversary of his death partly because many friends, supporters and associates never had sufficient time to mourn him following his passing in India.
She noted that he was buried within 72 hours in accordance with his wishes.
Adjusting to a Sudden Loss
Ida Odinga said adjusting to life without her husband has been difficult, admitting there are moments when she still expects him to walk through the door after a trip, as he often did throughout his political career.
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She recalled receiving news of his death while in Kenya and later preparing for the return of his body from India.
One of the moments that remains firmly in her memory, she said, was when she received his hat from their daughter amid huge crowds gathered at the airport to receive his remains.
“Raila had a big heart. Many people think that he had very little time with us, but he managed family life quite right. He knew what each one of us was doing and was going through. He knew when we had problems, when we were happy or whatever. He knew all this,” Ida Odinga said.
She said the couple’s relationship began years before he entered mainstream politics, recalling that they first met through mutual friends while they were students.
Their friendship later grew into a marriage that endured decades of political upheaval and personal sacrifice.
Ida Odinga and Raila’s Years of Struggle
According to Ida Odinga, one of the most challenging periods in their lives came after Raila Odinga’s detention following the 1982 attempted coup.
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During that period, she was left to raise their young children largely on her own while dealing with financial difficulties and restrictions imposed by the government.
She recalled the challenges of visiting him in detention and the pressure the family faced at the time.
Authorities monitored correspondence, and daily life became increasingly difficult as they tightened restrictions around him and those closest to him.
The former educator also revealed that she lost her teaching job after challenging the government in court over her husband’s detention, bringing to an end a profession she said she deeply loved.
Despite those hardships, she said her husband remained committed to his vision for Kenya and believed the country possessed the resources, talent and potential to achieve greater prosperity.
According to her, Raila’s political journey was motivated by a desire to transform society rather than accumulate personal wealth.
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