One More Time of Reflection as Uhuru Kenyatta Visits Raila Odinga’s Grave

Kenya, 21 October 2025 - In the quiet village of Nyamira in Bondo, a familiar figure stood silently beside a fresh grave.

Dressed simply, with no security motorcade or press conference, former President Uhuru Kenyatta raised his hand in respect, bowed his head, and walked away.

The grave was that of Raila Amolo Odinga, Kenya’s longtime opposition leader, who was laid to rest on 19 October 2025 in a state funeral that drew African leaders and thousands of mourners.

For Mr Kenyatta, the visit wasn’t just about paying tribute to a political titan.

It was a deeply personal moment of reflection for a man who had once been his fiercest rival, and later, one of his closest allies.

A Friendship Forged in Fire

Their relationship has been described as one of Kenya’s most dramatic political transformations.

From electoral adversaries in 2013 and 2017 to unexpected partners in 2018, Mr Kenyatta and Odinga’s “Handshake” reshaped Kenya’s political landscape and cooled one of the country’s most divisive moments.

The image of them clasping hands on the steps of Harambee House on 9 March 2018 remains one of the defining symbols of modern Kenyan politics.

What began as a truce evolved into a genuine friendship, one that many Kenyans grew to admire for its maturity and message of unity.

Brothers in Public and in Private

Away from the cameras, their bond deepened. In one widely circulated video, the two were spotted walking together in Nairobi at night, a moment that went viral across social media.

There were no bodyguards or grand speeches, just two men taking a quiet walk in a city they both helped shape.

“They had differences, but there was trust,” recalls a former State House aide who worked closely with them during the Handshake period.

“Sometimes they’d sit together after long meetings, sharing stories. It was a friendship born of struggle and mutual respect.”

Their collaboration also birthed the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), a constitutional reform effort they said aimed to unite the nation and fix structural inequalities.

Though it was later struck down by the courts, the BBI process underscored their shared belief in dialogue over division.

A Visit Laden with Symbolism

When news broke that Mr Kenyatta had quietly revisited Odinga’s grave a day after the burial, photos flooded social media, showing the former president standing solemnly beside the mound of red soil.

There were no microphones, no political entourage, just reflection.

The visit also included a stop at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Mausoleum, where Mr Kenyatta paid tribute to [Raila] Odinga’s father, Kenya’s first vice president Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, acknowledging the Odinga family’s historic contribution to Kenya’s democracy.

From Rivals to Brothers

In a communique released earlier through his office, Mr Kenyatta described Odinga as “a friend and brother who gave everything to his country.”

He praised Odinga’s courage and contribution to democracy, saying their partnership after 2018 “proved that unity is possible even after years of division.”

The depth of their friendship was evident throughout Odinga’s final years, the phone calls, private visits, and coordinated public appearances that symbolized reconciliation not just between two men, but between two halves of Kenya’s political identity.

“We may have disagreed politically, but we agreed on one thing, Kenya must come first,” Mr Kenyatta once said during a 2021 function in Kisumu.

A Legacy of Reconciliation

For many Kenyans, Mr Kenyatta’s visit to Odinga’s resting place is more than an act of mourning. It is a continuation of the message both men championed, that friendship and dialogue are stronger than hate.

The Handshake years showed that leadership can transcend rivalry. And as the nation reflects on Odinga’s legacy, Mr Kenyatta’s quiet walk to his grave stands as a reminder that political peace is built on human connection.

In the end, it wasn’t a rally, nor a press release, but a simple, silent visit that captured the essence of their journey, two men who fought, reconciled, and found brotherhood in their shared love for Kenya.