Mama Ida Odinga marked her 76th birthday on Monday with an emotional family celebration that also offered a glimpse into the political future of the Odinga family.
Mama Ida Odinga turned 76 on Monday in a celebration that combined family, remembrance and politics, using the occasion to publicly endorse her son Raila Odinga Junior’s bid to become the next MP for Kibra.
The birthday was particularly significant for the Odinga family as it was Ida’s first since the death of her husband, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, in October last year.
Surrounded by her children, including Raila Junior, Winnie and Rosemary, as well as political leaders and friends, Ida celebrated her latest milestone at a time when her family continues to navigate life without the former Prime Minister.
But beneath the birthday festivities was an important political message.
Speaking during the celebrations, Ida told Kibra residents and leaders that she was entrusting her son to them as he seeks to enter elective politics.
“Now you, Kibra residents, have come to me with other things. You are telling me that ‘Mtoto wa simba ni simba’. If you have decided, then I don’t have much to say, but I put him in your hands,” she said.
She went further, asking leaders who had worked with the late Raila to mentor his son and ensure that he follows the right path.
“To all of you here, I leave my child in your hands. Take care of him, teach him and remind him. Many of you started with the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga in 1992. Show him the way so that he walks in the right way and does the right thing,” Ida said.
The endorsement comes weeks after Raila Junior formally announced his intention to contest the Kibra parliamentary seat in the 2027 General Election.
Ida, however, appeared keen to set the tone for her son's political career, urging him to avoid the confrontational politics that have sometimes characterised Kenyan elections.
“Run clean politics, not of insults, chaos or violence. It should be clean. Convince people with your words and what you can do for them,” she said.
Her intervention gives Raila Junior's Kibra bid an important boost, particularly given the symbolic weight of the constituency to the Odinga family.
The younger Odinga has already begun organising in Kibra, holding meetings with elders from the constituency's five wards — Laini Saba, Lindi, Makina, Woodley/Kenyatta Golf Course and Sarang'ombe.
He has said his discussions with elders have focused on unity, community development and the future of Kibra.
A birthday marked by loss
Away from politics, the celebration was also an emotional family occasion.
Winnie Odinga, speaking at a private gathering held ahead of the birthday, reflected on the family's difficult period following Raila's death and thanked her mother for holding the family together.
“Today we came to celebrate, and what is really profound about life is that even in sad, difficult moments, there is always a reason to celebrate. Celebrate life,” Winnie said.
She thanked her mother “for giving us all and for giving us life” and for supporting the family through the difficult period following their father's death.
The gathering brought together members of the Odinga family and several prominent political figures, including Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu, nominated Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris and Raila Junior. Luo musician Prince Indah also performed during the celebrations.
The occasion attracted birthday messages from across the political divide.
Siaya Governor James Orengo described Ida as “a true pillar of Kenya’s liberation and a true mother of the nation.”
Senator Hamida Kibwana also praised her as a woman of “grace, strength and remarkable character”, wishing her peace and renewed strength in the new chapter of her life.
Ida's public life stretches beyond her role as Raila's wife. An educator, businesswoman and community leader, she has been involved in education, women's empowerment and community development. She currently serves as Kenya's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme.
Her 76th birthday therefore became more than a family celebration. It provided a rare public glimpse into how the Odinga family is confronting life after Raila while also signalling the emergence of a new political chapter for his son.
