16/10/2025
Official Address by the Youth for Kenya on the passing of the Right Honourable Raila Amollo Odinga
Fellow Kenyans,
Today, we stand at one of the heaviest moments in our nation’s history. The sun has set on a life that defined the spirit of resilience, courage, and the unyielding belief that Kenya could, and must, be better.
The passing of the Right Honourable Raila Amollo Odinga, Baba, Jakom, is not just a loss to his family and friends. It is a loss to every Kenyan who ever dreamed of freedom, fairness, and a nation that belongs to all of us.
For decades, Raila Odinga was not just a man; he was an idea, the idea that truth, even when painful, must be spoken; that justice, even when delayed, must be pursued; and that unity, even when tested, must be protected.
He gave his youth, his strength, and his peace for the sake of this nation. He endured prisons so that we could have a voice. He carried our hopes through seasons of defeat, and triumph.
In this hour of grief, I call upon every Kenyan, from Turkana to Mombasa, from Kisumu to Garissa, to stand as one people.
Let us not allow this sorrow to divide us. Let us turn our mourning into a moment of national reflection.Our unity is Baba’s greatest dream, and now, it must be our greatest gift to him.
To the youth of this country, this is our moment.
Baba walked so we could run.He believed that our generation would break the walls of corruption, tribalism, and inequality.He saw in us the Kenya that he fought for vibrant, fair, and fearless.
So today, we lower our flags, but we raise our hearts.
We mourn, but we also promise. We promise that his struggle was not in vain.
We promise that his dream will live in every corner of this nation.
Rest well, Baba.
Rest well, Jakom.
You ran your race with honor.
We will carry the baton with courage.
May God bless the soul of Raila Amollo Odinga.
May God bless Kenya
Vincent Aketch
National Chairman, YFK
