16/10/2025
MY TRIBUTE TO Raila Odinga : THE UNBROKEN SPIRIT AND LIVING LEGACY OF FREEDOM.
My most treasured personal interaction with RAO remains etched in my memory. During the intense period of our doctors’ strike in 2024, at a time of great uncertainty, he called us to his office. He inquired deeply about the dispute's progress, but his purpose was not merely political. He embraced us, congratulating us for taking a decisive stand for our young intern colleagues whose rightful pay had been cruelly reduced by 66%. He then shared his own profound history working within the trade union movement, advocating for fair compensation and employee welfare. He shook our hands and departed for another meeting—it was an unforgettable moment of encouragement and resonant leadership.
The indelible lesson I absorbed from that moment is the absolute necessity of standing for what is right, regardless of the cost. This kind of uncompromising commitment is often misconstrued in our society; advocates for the downtrodden are frequently cast as adversaries, labeled dismissively as "kimbelembele," and threatened with intimidation.
Raila’s epic political journey serves as a constant, powerful reminder that the path of resisting oppression is never smooth. His eight years of incommunicado detention under the Moi regime, coupled with immense torture that resulted in long-term health consequences—including hydrocephalus and a tearing eye—never managed to break his resolve. He simply refused to yield. This unyielding tenacity is the foundation of my own inspiration and the resolve I carry forward in the ongoing fight.
That, truly, is the Raila Spirit: it is immortal, a flame that will never die. It lives in the hearts of every Kenyan who resists the bad vices that plague our society—from brazen land grabbing and the systemic theft of public resources to the enactment of oppressive laws and the suppression of democratic freedoms.
May the light of his life and his unwavering spirit continue to inspire every single person who strives for a just and equitable Kenya. I vow to keep the fight ongoing. !