Rosemary Odinga, the daughter of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, has opened up about her father’s personal side, describing the pain of losing him and the memories that continue to shape her family’s grief.
Speaking at Daystar University during a memorial event honouring her father on Friday, October 9, 2026, Rosemary reflected on the difference between the Raila known to millions of Kenyans as “Baba” and the father she knew at home.
“Many of you knew him as Baba. For us at home, we simply called him Dad,” she said, recalling how Kenyans knew him as a public figure who addressed crowds and debated the country’s future, while his family knew the man who returned home and wanted to hear about their lives.
Rosemary said sharing a parent with an entire country could be a strange experience.
Over time, she said, people’s memories of her father had become meaningful to the family, offering them glimpses of experiences they might otherwise never have known.
“When people share their memories, they give us little pieces of him. And we might otherwise never have known. I want to say thank you for continuing to give those pieces of him back to us,” she said.
The father behind the public figure
Rosemary also reflected on the relationship between her parents, saying her mother had known Raila for more than 50 years.
Together, they built a home, raised a family and endured periods that required courage amid the demands of his public responsibilities.
She acknowledged that her mother understood both the duties Raila carried and the personal cost that came with them, including worry, absences and uncertainty about the future.
However, their life together was not defined by politics alone. It also included laughter, friendship and the everyday experiences of raising children and enjoying family life whenever circumstances allowed.
As his daughter, Rosemary said she treasured that ordinary side of her father, noting that a life as public as Raila’s could easily turn every family memory into a lesson in history.
“But sometimes you simply miss your dad. You miss his presence. You miss a familiar conversation,” she said.
She recalled the small moments that become especially meaningful after losing a loved one, such as remembering something that would have amused him and wishing there were still an opportunity to share it.
