Raila expressed his love and admiration for Ida, terming her as a strong pillar behind his challenging but relentless political career.
he recounted his ordeal at Manyani Prison where he was deliberately prescribed the wrong medication by prison authorities after protesting that he was unwell.
His constant altercations with prison wardens, who manned his solitary confinement at Manyani, prompted authorities to transfer him to Kamiti, where his health deteriorated every single day.
The former Prime Minister revealed how he accessed a tissue paper at his newly found Kamiti home, wrote a message to his wife that he was sick, and had the note smuggled to Ida by a warden friend.
Upon receiving the letter, Odinga narrated that Ida sought prescribed medication from a doctor immediately and smuggled it to Kamiti Prison through the same warden.
He noted that the poor health condition while at Kamiti almost claimed his life, but the medication bought by his wife gave him sudden hope and new energy.
It is this moment that Odinga cherishes the most, which he shared fondly with women he met at the Catholic University of East Africa on Thursday, November 18.
Raila had met women lobby groups from across the country at the University’s auditorium as he popularized his Azimio la Umoja campaign.
He also highlighted other instances where Ida sacrificed her ambitions to support his turbulent political journey which saw him walk in and out of prison gates during the late President Daniel Arap Moi’s regime.
Ida was also sacked as a teacher at the Kenya High School for allegedly communicating with Raila who was imprisoned at Naivasha GK Prison at the time.
She also lost a job with the Ministry of Education for being involved in the activities of a women lobby group that was pressing the government to release their sons and husbands.
Raila was apprehended and jailed three times between the years 1980 and 1990 by President Moi’s government for his alleged public incitement and push for multipartism.
Source: KENYAGIST.COM
