Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga speaks during the State Funeral Service of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on October 19, 2025./MAURICE ALAL
Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga has revealed that President William Ruto personally facilitated the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s final trip to India for medical treatment.
Speaking during the funeral service at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) in Bondo, Sunday, Oburu said President Ruto held discussions with Raila and himself before arranging for his airlift to India.
“I want to thank the President. From the time I told him Raila was sick, you had a discussion with Raila and me, and you provided the plane that took him,” Dr. Oginga said.
The Siaya Senator, who was Raila’s elder brother, also expressed gratitude to the government for facilitating the repatriation of Raila’s body from India to Nairobi.
He paid tribute to Raila’s longtime aide, Maurice Ogeta, for his unwavering service and presence until the opposition leader’s final moments.
Dr. Oginga also disclosed that Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga personally bought her ticket to India to be with Raila, while Winnie Odinga skipped sessions at the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) to stay by her father’s side.
The funeral ceremony, attended by President Ruto and other dignitaries, was held at JOOUST in Bondo, where the late ODM leader’s body lay in state for final tributes.
Recalling their childhood in Nyamira, Bondo, Oburu described Raila as a strong-willed boy who never shied away from standing up for his beliefs.
“In school, when teachers disciplined us, we were expected to salute, but Raila always rebelled,” he said.
He also remembered visiting Raila in prison after the 1982 coup attempt. “He just laughed it off, saying it would pass — even though he was a death row prisoner,” Oburu recalled.
