By Anderson Ojwang
In a historic and symbolic moment, Raila Amolo Odinga delivered his last passionate and powerful message to Kenyans and the world.
When the Kenya Airways flight, KQ RAO 001 touched the ground, our motherland, Winnie Mandela Odinga, carried the most powerful, message to Kenyans, the world, mourners, ODM family, relatives, children, and his loving wife Mama Ida Odinga.
In Winnies hand, she held Raila’s revered white Panana Hat, the last surviving Raila legacy. The message was short, crisp and clear, “PEACE I LEAVE UNTO YOU.”
On the other side, lay the casket with a message “I have fought the good fight, I have finished race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me, the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing 2 Tomothy 4:7-8.”
As mourners jammed the airport and Mombasa Road to Kasarani International Stadium, Winnie calmly carried the powerful Panama Hat to her mother’s house, Karen and respectfully and obediently handed over the message.
At the Airport after disembarking from the plane, standing at the heart of the facility, Winnie named after freedom fighter Winnie Mandela, wife to the late South Africa President, the late Nelson Mandela, rose to the occasion. Her Father’s wish.
In her heart and hands, she carried the heaviest and most powerful message to the world, the last wish of his father, unknown to the world. Raila Iga gala. Raila the mystic.
The message of Peace, that Raila loved and cherished and was so passionate about. A PEACEFUL AND UNITED KENYA.
The message of peace that made him to sacrifice for Kenya severally and never wanted Kenya to break despite presidential election results.
And the message was symbolically delivered at the historic Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, named after the founding father, the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.
Indeed, Raila chose to unite Kenya at the heart of the facility which bore the name of Kenya’s founding father of the nation, Mzee Kenyatta, a facility that unites Kenya with the rest of the world.
A temporary calm descended at the facility when Winnie in a calm demeanor symbolically delivered Raila’s last wish message. Carrying the white Panama hat, surrounded by the shocked and grieving prime cabinet secretary Musalia Mudavadi, leader of the delegation, Health cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, Kisumu Women Representative Ruth Adhiambo Odinga, the younger sister and a host of dignitaries and mourners.
As Raila’s convoy snaked its way to Kasarani International Airport with a sea of humanity in tow, Winnie led a small delegation to their family home, in Karen.
Winnie, the political heartbeat of Raila, the dare devil and his political confidant, at his sitting room delivered the Panama hat carrying the message Mama Ida, kneeling before her and calmy gave her the hat of legacy as President William Ruto stood alert, watched and witnessed the delivery.
This was not just a simple ceremony, but Raila’s way of sending coded powerful messages.
Interestingly, at the Indian Airport, the Panama Hat lay on top of the casket sending the message to the world, “Now I LEAVE, PEACE I LEAVE UNTO YOU.”
In one of his greatest speeches on peace and forgiveness during his Azimio La Umoja unveiling as the Presidential candidate Raila said “I bear the scars of liberation with pride and embrace the blood; sweat and tears they caused me.
By the way, the tears from the torture chambers are still running as it you can tell from the handkerchief that never leaves my hand.
For years, I was not allowed to speak with other inmates, infact for six straight years, I did not sleep on a bed. For months and ends, I was either held in communicado or solitary continent or handcuffed and on transit to the next prison or detention camp.
A relative died including my beloved mother and my own brother and in never got the chance to say goodbye. I would not wish this to torment upon anyone even my own worst enemy.
Together, we my comrades who endured torture and survive those darks days of torture, we will never let Kenya degenerate.”
At the burial of Matriarch Mama Phoebe Asiyo in Karachuonyo Raila said he couldn’t afford to witness Kenya degenerate into a failed state during the Genzs protest and had to come out and save the country.
The last powerful speech on peace and unity, Raila delivered in Karachuonyo, the home of heroes and heroine. Dalagi Ojijo wuon Oteko,.
“We are here as Kenyans today, we know where we are coming from. We were in a very serious situation sometimes last year. Everybody knows where we were.
There was a possibility of Kenya degenerating into a failed state like Somalia, Sudan. People who do not understand history, talk very easily. Ask and tell them, what happened in Libya, Egypt after the Arabs springs, why do we have a military regime today in Egypt after the Arabs springs?
People do not understand that is why they are making simple mistake, and it is easy for them to write articles in newspapers. I read them and I just laugh.
They tried to trivialize was a very serious situation, so what we have today, was something that we were forced into because of the circumstances that were existing at that time.
I want somebody to tell me their own solution and how this could have been solved? We sacrificed so that there could be peace in this country and that is the reason we are here today.
I do not regret what we did. We did it in the best interest of our country and Kenya must move forward.”
We at The Western Insight, sent our condolence to the family and Kenyans. Long live the Enigma.
To Raila:
“You must be iron like a lion in Zion.
Yeah, I am on the rock. and then I check a stock I had to run like a fugitive. To save the life I live, I’M Gona be iron like a lion in Zion,” your favorite Reggae beat.
