Kenyans join Raila in paying tribute to his late father Jaramogi Odinga

Late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and his son Raila Odinga. [Photo: Courtesy]

Opposition leader Raila Odinga has paid tribute to his late father Jaramogi Oginga Odinga to commemorate the day he died 24 years ago.

Raila shared a short video accompanied by a message on Facebook in remembrance of his late father.

Kenyans heaped praise on the fallen hero saying his legacy will never be forgotten in Kenyan politics and the world at large.

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Jaramogi, the first Vice President of Kenya worked with the first President Jomo Kenyatta in the early days after Kenya gained independence.

Although the two fell out shortly after, Jaramogi will be remembered among the forefathers of the country.

The late Jaramogi is well remembered as the father of Opposition since he was the first to advocate for multiparty democracy, which was first seen in 1969 after he disagreed with Jomo Kenyatta’s way of ruling.

He brought back multiparty leadership after a long period of time in 1992 when he vied for presidency but lost to Kenya’s second President Daniel Arap Moi.

Jaramogi later passed on two years later on January 20, 1994.

On February 5, 1994, the then President Moi led Kenya’s third President Mwai Kibaki, foreign envoys, religious leaders among others at Nyamira Kang’o where the late was laid to rest.

Forty six Members of Parliament (MPs) allied to National Supper Alliance (NASA) on Tuesday (January 16, 2018) signed an affidavit in support of the swearing in Raila and Kalonzo Musyoka on January 30.

In the affidavit, members of the National Assembly and senators are expected to acknowledge that they understood the Constitution of Kenya (2010) and fully supported the establishment of the People’s Assemblies, the ascension and recognition of Raila and Kalonzo as the president and deputy of the People’s Republic of Kenya.

NASA co-principal Moses Wetang’ula on January 11 asked President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto to swallow their pride and have a sit-down with the Opposition.

“I want to encourage you Uhuru and Ruto that this country does not belong to you. You must climb down from the pedestal where you are and come down to talk to fellow Kenyans about the future of this country. The problems of this country can neither be solved exclusively by Jubilee nor solved exclusively by NASA," said Wetang'ula.

“Uhuru and Ruto this country does not belong to you, it belongs to 45 million Kenyans and 43 communities of this country. So when you sit down, it matters not whether you got votes in Luo Nyanza or not. We want to see Luos in your Cabinet. It matters not whether you got votes in Ukambani or not, don’t pick sycophants, pick people who are respected,” he added.

The Bungoma Senator also hit out at the President saying that his call for peace cannot be achieved in a country that does not recognise justice.

“Let nobody tell us we want peace, we want unity, we want development. Peace is a product of justice. Unity is a product of justice and sustainable development will be a product of justice,” he pointed out.

Wetang’ula was speaking as he addressed a meeting of Ford-Kenya women leaders in Nairobi.