- Edwin Sifuna and Babu Owino attended the first death anniversary of Raila Odinga at Migwena Showground in Bondo, Siaya county
- Sifuna, speaking as a former ODM secretary-general, thanked supporters who stood with him during his eight years in the party and pledged to uphold Raila's legacy
- Crowds at the event erupted into 'Ruto must go' chants and 'wantam' responses following the duo's speeches at the memorial gathering
Nancy Odindo is a current affairs writer at Tuko.co.ke (joined in 2023). She has one year of experience in print and more than five years in digital media.
Siaya: Crowds at Migwena Showground in Bondo chanted "Ruto must go" and responded with "wantam" calls on Thursday, October 15, as Linda Mwananchi Movement leaders Senator Edwin Sifuna and MP Babu Owino addressed thousands gathered for the first death anniversary of former ODM leader Raila Odinga.
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Sifuna told the crowd he had attended at the personal invitation of Raila's family and had arrived with a single message of gratitude for the man he described as a political father figure.
"I have come to say thank you to Baba Raila Amolo Odinga. Because he raised us, he taught us politics, and he taught us the things we must do to improve the lives of our citizens," Sifuna said.
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Sifuna addresses ODM split and eight years as secretary-general
The former ODM secretary-general used the platform to acknowledge supporters who stood with him during his eight-year tenure at the party, a role he has since left following the formation of the Linda Mwananchi movement.
"During the eight years that I served as the secretary-general of the ODM party, you held my hands, you supported me, you stood by me, and together we accomplished many things," he said.
He also took a swipe at leaders he accused of relying on intimidation rather than persuasion, stressing that Raila taught them that "politics is not about forcing people. You must talk to people patiently and gradually."
Further, he asked the crowd whether they backed a single-term or two-term presidency for President William Ruto, drawing loud "wantam" chants signaling opposition to Ruto's re-election in 2027.
Babu Owino invokes Raila's legacy
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino delivered an emotional tribute, likening Raila to a tree that provided shelter, medicine, and sustenance to those who depended on him.
"Baba was like our tree. A tree that gave us shade whenever the sun was scorching. A tree whose branches we plucked and used as medicine whenever we were sick, and we recovered," Owino said.
He reframed Raila's legacy around service and the courage to oppose injustice, themes he applied to the Linda Mwananchi movement's current positioning.
"Leadership is not about power. Leadership is not about titles. Leadership is not about the names we carry. Rather, leadership is about the courage to fight against injustice," Owino told the crowd before declaring the movement the inheritors of Raila's spirit.
Both leaders indicated they intended to carry forward Raila's political values, placing citizen welfare at the centre of their agenda as they build momentum ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Raila died in India following a cardiac arrest.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
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