Saturday, July 12, 2025 - Ida Odinga, wife of ODM leader, Raila Odinga, has made a heartfelt appeal to Kenyan youth to stay away from ongoing anti-Government protests.
Speaking on Friday, July 11th, in Migori during
the burial of Suna West MP, Peter Masara's son, Ida expressed deep concern over
the growing number of young lives lost during recent protests.
She urged youth to consider the pain their families endure
when they are killed in such confrontations.
"Before you go out to demonstrate, think about where
you come from. If you go and get killed, your mothers - and I - are left
grieving. I plead with you, do not go," she said.
Ida also condemned police brutality, accusing security
officers of using excessive force on unarmed youth.
Drawing on personal experience, she likened the pain of
mothers burying their children to the biblical story of Rachel weeping for her
sons.
"When
we read the Bible, Rachel was very saddened when male children were being
killed.”
“In the
same way, I am not happy in any way about the killing and maiming of our youth.
It doesn't depend on where. It is wrong by all means, and I am very
annoyed," said Ida.
Recently ordained as a Canon in the Anglican Church of
Kenya, Ida also sharply rebuked youth at the burial who heckled and pushed an
ODM Governor, calling the behaviour “uncouth” and disrespectful.
“I was
very annoyed by your bad behaviour. There is no way you can push a Governor
that way.”
“We are
here to mourn, we are not here to politic. That is very uncouth and should not
be repeated," Ida said.
Her remarks come as Kenya witnesses a wave of youth-led
demonstrations driven by economic hardship and alleged police violence.
According to the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), over
30 young people were killed during the Saba Saba protests alone.
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