Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo has urged Kenyans to stop attacking Ida Odinga and her children over the way they marked Raila Odinga’s first death anniversary, saying the family’s loss should not be overshadowed by political arguments about the event.
Odhiambo said the criticism followed the family’s decision to bring together politicians from different political camps during the October 15, 2026, commemoration at Migwena Cultural Centre.
She maintained that inviting leaders with different political views was not wrong and that the family should be allowed to honour the late former prime minister without facing continued attacks.
In a statement posted on her social media accounts on Saturday, October 17, 2026, the legislator said the reactions to the gathering had been divided, with some people commending the event while others questioned the family’s choices.
“The attacks on Mama Ida and her children are, in my view, uncalled for, yet in a way reflect what Baba stood for: democracy and freedom of expression,” the vocal MP stated.
Odhiambo described Raila as a politician whose influence remained strong even after his death, pointing to the large turnout at the anniversary as evidence of the affection many Kenyans continued to have for him.
She noted that Raila had experienced both support and hostility from prominent politicians at different points in their careers. In her view, the competing claims over who loved him most or stood by him longest were unnecessary because such feelings could not be measured.
The MP said the debate over Raila’s political relationships had continued both within and outside Migwena, with different groups appearing eager to establish their closeness to the former prime minister.
She also recalled his willingness to forgive others, saying he had repeatedly extended forgiveness in circumstances where many people might have found it difficult to do so.
Odhiambo urged the public to look beyond Raila’s political standing and remember the people closest to him, noting that his death had left his wife, children, siblings and grandchildren with a deeply personal loss.
“Beyond the politics, they all grieve Baba at a more personal level,” she said, recounting how one member of the family broke down in tears as the crowd danced to Wololo Ree Jowi during the commemoration.
The legislator defended the manner in which the family organised the event, arguing that there was nothing wrong with celebrating Raila in a way that reflected his political identity and the principles he had championed throughout his life.
She said Ida and her children had become targets of criticism despite exercising democratic freedoms that Raila had fought to protect, urging them to remain strong in the face of the backlash.
Odhiambo weighs in on Raila’s political legacy
The MP’s statement came as the anniversary gathering continued to attract debate over its political significance, particularly after leaders from different camps attended the event alongside Raila’s relatives and longtime allies.
The presence of politicians with varying political positions sparked discussion about the meaning of the gathering and the question of who could claim a close relationship with the late opposition leader.
Odhiambo also commented on remarks by Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, who had attracted both praise and criticism following his comments on the anniversary.
She agreed with Mbadi’s observation that the affection Kenyans had for Raila could not simply be passed on to someone else, arguing that the bond people shared with the former prime minister was personal.
“The love we had for Baba is not transferable,” she said, calling on political leaders to exercise humility and reconsider their political strategies.
Her remarks came amid discussions about Raila’s enduring influence and whether the political loyalty he commanded during his lifetime could be carried forward by other leaders.
Young people’s chants raise questions
Odhiambo also recounted events at Migwena, where young people chanted different political slogans during speeches by Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna.
The contrasting chants prompted her to question whether politicians needed to rethink how they approached younger voters and interpreted their political views.
She said she was still trying to understand the mood among the younger generation, whose reactions during the speeches added another dimension to the discussions surrounding the anniversary.
The gathering brought together leaders and supporters with differing political positions, while the responses from the crowd highlighted the range of views among those who attended.
Odhiambo concluded by acknowledging that Kenyans were entitled to agree or disagree with her position, saying the freedom to express different opinions was part of the democratic space Raila had fought to establish.
She maintained that public criticism was itself an expression of those freedoms, even as the country continued to mourn the former prime minister and debate the political meaning of his legacy.