Nyamira, December 25, 2025 – Ruth Odinga, sister to the late Orange Democratic Party (ODM) leader Honorable Raila Odinga, has spoken candidly about the emotional challenge of celebrating the first Christmas without her beloved brother. Raila passed away on October 15, 2025, while receiving treatment in India, with Ruth by his side.
In a heartfelt message shared on Christmas Day, Ruth reflected on the family’s traditional worship at St. Peter’s Nyamira ACK Church, noting the profound absence of Raila during this year’s celebrations.
“Today, my mother church, St. Peter’s Nyamira ACK Church, and its congregants experienced the first Christmas without my brother, the Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga,” she said. “The absence of Raila was palpable… There was an unmarked seat whose occupant was missing.”
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Ruth highlighted Raila’s contribution to Kenya’s political landscape, emphasizing his role in shaping ODM into a party with national reach. “To have a political movement with a national outlook is no mean feat.
This is not a Nyanza or Luo party. We have representation in nearly every corner of this great nation,” she said. She further lauded Raila’s inclusive approach in government, noting that of the five ODM Cabinet Secretaries, only two are Luo.
She also addressed recent social media attacks on Raila’s legacy, urging ODM members to protect the reputation he worked hard to build. “It is upon us to make it bigger than what Hon. Raila left,” Ruth stated, affirming the party’s capacity to field a presidential candidate in 2027.
Concluding her message, Ruth extended festive greetings to Kenyans: “Merry Christmas to you all and a prosperous 2026.”
The Odinga family’s first Christmas without Raila has been a moment of reflection, mourning, and renewed commitment to the ideals the late leader championed throughout his life.
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