Winnie Odinga has shared intimate details of her father’s final hours, refuting online claims that the late Raila Odinga died bedridden and frail.

Speaking at Parliament on Friday, the youngest daughter of the former Prime Minister said her father’s last moments were spent doing what he loved — pushing himself to stay strong.

“I was with him in India when he took his last breath,” she said softly. “He died in my arms, but not the way people have been saying on social media. Every day he was walking, doing one round, then two. That morning, he pushed to five rounds. He died strong, with dignity and pride.”

A Daughter’s Farewell

For many Kenyans, Winnie’s tribute offered a rare glimpse into the private world of a public figure long seen as indestructible. Her voice trembled as she described herself as “the luckiest girl in the world” to have called Raila her father.

“Only my siblings — Fidel, Rosemary, and Junior — shared that same luck,” she added, drawing applause and tears from mourners who had gathered to honour the man who shaped Kenya’s political landscape for over four decades.

Since his death, Winnie has been praised for her composure and courage. She was with Raila in India when he collapsed and later accompanied his body home aboard the RAO001 aircraft.

When the plane touched down in Nairobi on Thursday morning, she stepped out carrying his signature white fedora — the same hat that became synonymous with his image. Holding it to her chest, she watched as his remains were wheeled from the aircraft, a moment that moved many to tears.

At the Odinga family home in Karen, Winnie later presented the hat to her mother, Mama Ida Odinga, in an emotional exchange that resonated across the country.

A Family in Mourning — and in Strength

Raila’s second-born, Rosemary, was the first to deliver her eulogy at Nyayo Stadium, calling her father not just a parent, but a guide and friend.

“Baba was not only my advisor but also my friend,” she said. “I remember the moment I received the news. I was just finishing breakfast when Junior called. He asked me to sit down before telling me.”

Raila Junior, now the family’s only surviving son after Fidel’s passing in 2015, spoke next — his voice steady but heavy with responsibility.

“With my brother Fidel gone, I remain the gentleman of the family,” he said. “Dad, I will take care of Mum, Rosie, Winnie, and the larger political family. Thank you for giving me your name, and for never making it a burden.”

The Final Lap

For the Odinga family, Raila’s passing in India was both sudden and serene. The man who had endured exile, imprisonment, and political battles died not in struggle but in motion — mid-lap, as he strived for one more round.

It was, as Winnie described, “a fitting end for a man who never stopped moving.”