For Nairobi Governor Sakaja Johnson, the unveiling of Raila Amolo Odinga’s mausoleum was not simply a moment to remember one of Kenya’s most influential political figures. It was an opportunity to speak about the man he knew away from political rallies and public events, and to honour a relationship he described as that of a son and a father.
Sakaja used the occasion at Opoda Farm in Bondo, Siaya County, to recall the personal lessons he received from the late former Prime Minister, saying Raila’s influence on him went beyond politics and helped shape the kind of leader he became.
He said the country had spent the past year grieving Raila’s death, but the focus should now shift towards putting into practice the principles and lessons he left behind.
“It has been a year, exactly one year, since Baba left us. I did not have a chance to eulogise him. We have mourned for a year, but now we must build on what he left us,” Sakaja said.
The governor said Raila was widely recognised for his role in Kenya’s political history, including his work as a reformer and former Prime Minister. But his own memories of Raila were rooted in a much closer relationship.
“I knew all those things about him, but I also knew him simply as Baba. And for me, that was not a political title. It was more. He was a father to me,” he said.
Sakaja said Raila taught him that leadership requires the strength to remain committed to a cause even when support does not come immediately.
“From Baba, I learned courage. I learned that leadership sometimes means standing alone before others understand what you are fighting for,” he said.
Another lesson he carried from Raila was the ability to separate political differences from personal relationships. Sakaja said the former Prime Minister showed that people could challenge each other strongly on political matters without allowing disagreements to breed hatred.
“I learned that you can disagree fiercely without carrying hatred in your heart,” Sakaja said.
He also remembered Raila as a leader who maintained a strong connection with ordinary Kenyans. For Sakaja, that quality offered an important reminder that holding public office should not create distance between leaders and the people they represent.
“I learned that however high you rise, you must never become too important to sit with ordinary people, listen to them, laugh with them, and understand their struggles,” he said.
The governor said Raila’s contribution to Kenya should not be judged by the structure built in his memory. Instead, he argued that the former Prime Minister’s enduring impact could be seen in the freedoms and democratic space Kenyans have today.
“Baba’s true monument will never be made of stone. His monument is in the democratic space Kenyans enjoy today,” he said.
Sakaja also highlighted Raila’s impact on younger people who were encouraged by him to consider leadership and public service as possibilities within their reach.
“His monument is in the generation of young leaders whom he encouraged to believe that they, too, could serve this country,” he said.
But beneath the broader national legacy, Sakaja said there was another part of Raila’s life that mattered to him personally. He recalled the conversations they had in private, the advice he received, the moments of laughter, the times Raila corrected him and the encouragement he offered.
Those personal encounters, Sakaja said, were among the memories that would remain with him even though they were never seen by the public.
“Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for guiding me. Thank you for the moments the public never saw. Thank you for being Baba,” Sakaja said.
The governor acknowledged that Raila’s absence remained painful, saying he would particularly miss the qualities that made their relationship meaningful to him.
“And I will miss you as a son misses a father,” he said.
Sakaja, however, said the responsibility of those who learnt from Raila was not to remain in mourning but to use the lessons he left behind.
“But we will stand, and we will carry forward what you taught us courageously,” Sakaja said.
He ended his tribute by acknowledging that Raila’s life had come to a physical close, but said the impact of his ideas, example and guidance would remain with those he touched and with future generations.