Nairobi
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has spoken with rare candour about his final attempts to reach Raila Odinga before the former Prime Minister’s death, describing a silence that left him deeply unsettled.
In an interview aired on TV47 on Saturday evening, Kalonzo revealed that in the ten days leading up to Raila’s passing, the two men—once close political allies and long-time friends—had unexpectedly fallen out of contact.
“We used to speak,” Kalonzo said quietly. “But for the last ten days before he died, I tried several times to call him, and he was not available.”
He explained that he had been trying to invite Raila to the Wiper National Delegates Conference, just as Odinga had once invited him to the ODM Congress. “With his absence, I felt that something was not right,” Kalonzo recalled.
When his calls went unanswered, the former Vice President turned to another mutual friend—former President Uhuru Kenyatta—for reassurance.
“I then called Uhuru Kenyatta, who informed me that he had talked to Raila,” Kalonzo said. “He told me that Raila said he was okay and was preparing to come back home.”
Kalonzo spoke with affection about their personal friendship, one that transcended political boundaries. “Raila was a man who valued friendship,” he said. “We were both great fans of Arsenal Football Club. We used to go to the club to watch football together.”
His reflections offered a glimpse of a lighter, more personal side to the late opposition leader—a man known publicly for his fiery political battles but privately for his warmth and loyalty.
“Raila reshaped Kenya’s political direction,” Kalonzo added, his tone solemn. “His legacy will live on forever.”
Raila Odinga passed away on Wednesday, October 15, while receiving treatment in India. His burial is scheduled for Sunday, October 19, at his family home in Bondo, Siaya County.
For Kalonzo, the final unanswered calls remain a haunting reminder of a friendship cut short—but one rooted, as he said, “in respect, laughter, and shared dreams for our country.”