State Funeral: Raila Odinga's tribute to former President Mwai Kibaki

Raila Odinga and his wife, Ida, arriving at the Nyayo National Stadium on April 29, 2022 for Mwai Kibaki’s State Funeral service. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Raila Odinga has eulogised Mwai Kibaki as a gentleman and a man of conviction.

Odinga served as Prime Minister during Kibaki’s second term in office as President between 2008 and 2013.

Odinga paid tribute to Kibaki during the former President’s State Funeral service at the Nyayo National Stadium on Friday, April 29.

“I first worked with Kibaki in the opposition, then together in the grand coalition government, where he was our leader. During his presidency, he used to come up with eloquent exposition of the budget, most times better than the then-Finance ministers. He’d even tell them how the implementation would be done,” said Odinga.

The ODM boss described Kibaki as an attentive listener, who “allowed a lot of debate during Cabinet meetings”.

“He gave the ministers the authority and power to run their ministries so long as they were not involved in graft,” said Odinga.

The former prime minister said, unlike the popular belief has it, he never developed a grudge against Kibaki for failing to endorse him for President in 2007.

Foreign dignitaries jetted into the country after the 2007 post-election violence hit Kenya. Odinga said Kibaki agreed on most of his terms during reconciliation talks witnessed by former Tanzania’s President Jakaya Kikwete, among others.

“Kibaki agreed to my irreducible minimums. We, thereafter, shook hands,” said Odinga.

The ODM boss said some politicians allied to Kibaki attempted to pressurise him to rescind the agreement, but the third president told them off.

“He told them: ‘we are done with the talks. There’s nothing else left to discuss or change. Now, we are going to address the world’. Kibaki kept his word,” said Odinga.

The former prime minister said some challenges arose during the grand coalition government, but he and Kibaki managed to resolve them amicably.

“After he retired, we continued to remain good friends. He advised me on several occasions. I’d say I have lost a good friend. Kenya, on the other hand, has lost a patriot and great leader, whose value will only be known with time.”