Karua warns leaders against hypocrisy at Raila's graveside

Since the burial of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga a steady stream of mourners has continued to arrive.

Raila died in India on October 15, 2025, and was laid to rest on October 19 in a ceremony that combined cultural honour and national symbolism.

Since then, his graveside has become not just a place of mourning but a magnet for political reflection, reconciliation, and, in many cases, delayed praise from those who spent years opposing him.

On Monday, People’s Liberation Party (PLP) Leader Martha Karua led delegates to Kang’o Ka Jaramogi not just to mourn, but to deliver a message that cut sharply across Kenya’s political class.

Karua arrived with women leaders from PLP, accompanied by former Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu and Mama Ida Odinga. They laid wreaths and comforted the family.

Karua, Raila’s 2022 presidential running mate and longtime comrade in Kenya’s political struggle, spoke with conviction as she urged leaders to be honest not performative in their grief.

“Already you have seen  people from all walks of life coming to pay tribute, people who spoke ill of him now speak knowingly,” she said. So already his passing has become a unifying factor.”

She emphasised that unity in this moment must not be squandered, especially by those who are merely trying to rewrite history now that Raila is gone.

"As a nation, let us not squander this moment. Let us unite for one cause he lived for fighting for a better Kenya, " she said. “It is not just about talking about a better Kenya; it is about actions that contribute to making a better Kenya.”

Karua’s tone carried an unmistakable warning - unity must be rooted in sincerity, not convenience.

Her message drew a clear line between those honouring Raila in truth and those now using his legacy for political expediency.

She went further urging those in authority to ensure that public resources are used for public benefit, a principle she said Raila defended all his life.

"Let us respect the people and the resources that belong to the people,” she added. "That is the greatest tribute we can pay him.”

Karua vowed that Raila’s vision of a just Kenya will continue.

She assured Mama Ida that the alliance forged in the trenches of struggle would endure.

Ngilu, herself a veteran of Kenya’s pro-democracy movement, mourned Raila as a man whose influence shaped generations of leaders.

She said Raila did not simply inspire but prepared them. "We will continue to respect the man who lies here. He mentored a lot of us,” Ngilu said. "In leadership he taught us that it’s about serving courageously, serving selflessly, and ensuring the nation comes first.”

Ngilu spoke directly to Mama Ida Odinga, acknowledging the sacrifice demanded of the family across decades of detentions, political battles, and state persecution.

"It is painful that we see Raila leave this nation. There was so much he still needed to do. For the foundation he laid justice, fairness, equity - we must not drop the guard," she emphasised.

She appealed to Raila’s supporters and fellow leaders to shoulder his unfinished agenda.

Mama Ida recalled Raila’s final night. "Even the night before he died, I talked to him. He told me he was fine and he would go to Dubai with the children for a short holiday,” she shared softly. "I was shocked the following morning when he was no more.”

She said death often arrives without warning, forcing families and nations to accept what they cannot change.

Despite her pain, she spoke strongly of Karua and Ngilu noting that they had walked side-by-side in the struggle long before their names were nationally recognized.

She recalled 1981, when she was fired from Kenya High School, not for misconduct, but because she was married to a political detainee. She remembered walking into Karua’s law office then young and relatively unknown for help.

"I wondered what this young girl could do but she did a marvelous job,” she said.

She added that Raila was more than a politician as he was a symbol of resilience, courage, and the constant push for justice.

"From the dark years of detention without trial, through the fight for multiparty democracy, and the struggle for constitutional reform Raila gave everything to a country he believed deserved better," she said.