Raila, Ida celebrate 50 years of marriage

By Peter Ochieng 

Azimio La Umoja One Kenya leader Raila Odinga is back in the country, after a one week visit of the United Kingdom (UK) for rest and business.

On arrival back in the country on Thursday, he treated his wife Ida Odinga to a marvelous birthday party in a fancy five-star hotel in Nairobi.

Mama Ida turned 73 years on Thursday, with Luo popular musician Prince Indah being among the entertainers on the night of joy and merry-making.

The occasion was also used to mark Raila, Ida's 50th marriage anniversary.

Narc Kenya party leader Martha Karua was among Azimio leaning leaders who attended the ceremony.

Turning to his social media platforms, Raila said Ida deserves gratitude for being the love of his life.

"Being married to you for five decades has brought me great joy, and celebrating this milestone with your birthday was awesome. Mama Ida Odinga, please accept my heartfelt gratitude for being not only the love of my life, but also the bedrock and pillar of our family," the ODM party leader wrote.

Ida then reposted the message on her social media pages.

Raila and Ida were blessed with four children - the late Fidel, Rosemary, Raila Junior and Winnie Odinga.

Fidel died in 2015.

Ida is a trained teacher. She worked as a teacher for more than twenty years after graduating from the University of Nairobi in the 70s.

She taught at Kenya High School, with her students including among others, the late governor of Bomet County, Joyce Laboso.

When her husband was imprisoned in 1982 as a political prisoner by the government of Kenya's second president Daniel arap Moi, Ida Odinga largely raised their children, while working as a teacher.

She was however later expelled from her teaching job by the Kenya African National Union (KANU) government due to Raila Odinga's political opposition.

Raila's supporters normally refer to her as Min Piny (Mother of the world), but she likes to be called an educator, activist and business woman.