Mama Ida Odinga has revealed the emotional pain of living without her late husband, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, recounting how she sometimes leaves the door open in the hope that he will return home.

Speaking during the first anniversary commemoration of Raila's death at Migwena Grounds in Siaya County on Thursday, October 15, 2026, Ida offered a deeply personal account of grief, describing the everyday moments that continue to remind her of the man she called Baba.

She recalled how Raila would sometimes arrive home late in the evening, a familiar routine that has become a painful reminder of his absence.

“Sometimes Baba used to come late in the evening. I leave the door open, hoping that he's going to come in. And the door remains open for a very long time,” Ida said.

She explained that the reality of his death eventually sets in, forcing her to accept that the man she is waiting for will not walk through the door.

“Then later I realize he's not coming back, and I go and close the door,” she added.

Her account captured the difficult experience of adjusting to life after losing a spouse, particularly when ordinary household routines continue to bring back memories of their life together.

Mama Ida Odinga Reveals Pain of Life Without Raila

‘We Still Hope We Are Going to Listen to His Steps’

Ida said the longing for Raila's presence extends beyond the evenings, with the family still finding themselves listening for his familiar footsteps when the house is quiet.

“Every time we're in the house quietly, we still hope we are going to listen to his steps coming in,” she said.

She added that mornings also bring moments of painful realisation, as the family wakes up hoping to see him before remembering that he is no longer there.

“When the morning comes, the first thing we think we are going to see him, but he's not there,” Ida said.

The remarks offered a glimpse into the private side of mourning Raila, whose death on October 15, 2025, marked the end of a political career that had shaped Kenya's public life for decades.

For Ida, however, the loss is also personal, reflected in the familiar routines, quiet moments and expectations that remain difficult to let go of.

‘I Tell People I Am Fine, I Am Strong’

Ida also spoke about how she responds when people ask her how she has been coping since7 losing her husband.

She said she often reassures them that she is doing well and remains strong, even as she continues to deal with the pain of his absence.

“People do ask me, how am I? To tell them, I tell them I'm fine, I'm strong,” she said.

She acknowledged that the support she receives from those around her has helped her find the strength to keep going.

“I'm strong because of you people. You are strong for me,” she told mourners.

Her words highlighted the importance of family, friends and public support as she navigates life without a partner with whom she shared decades of marriage.

Ida Reflects on the Inevitability of Death

During the emotional address, Ida also reflected on the reality that death eventually comes to everyone, invoking words she attributed to William Shakespeare's Macbeth.

“No life lives forever, and the dead man rises up never,” she said.

She explained that the words affirmed a reality everyone must eventually confront: no human life lasts forever.

The reflection came as mourners gathered in Siaya County to honour Raila's life and remember his contribution to Kenya.

The first anniversary provided an opportunity for family members, friends, political leaders and supporters to reflect on the former Prime Minister's legacy, which extended across generations and political divides.

But Ida's account brought the focus back to the personal cost of losing a loved one.

Beyond the public tributes and memories of Raila's political journey, her words revealed the quieter reality of grief: waiting for familiar footsteps, expecting someone to return home and slowly confronting the absence of a person who once made the house feel complete.