Winnie Odinga’s Touching Tribute: Passing Her Father’s Fedora to Mama Ida

A deeply emotional scene unfolded inside the VVIP offices of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Thursday, as Winnie Odinga presented her late father’s iconic white fedora hat to her mother, Mama Ida Odinga, moments after returning from India.

Winnie, the youngest daughter of the late former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, arrived in the country aboard the plane that carried her father’s remains from Mumbai. Clad in jungle-green pants paired with a crisp white shirt and a matching half coat, she knelt before her mother and handed over the white fedora — a gesture laden with grief, respect, and symbolism.

Mama Ida, dressed in a black skirt suit, a white blouse, a striped scarf, and a matching hat, received the treasured item with quiet composure that barely masked her sorrow. In a poignant moment captured by official photographers, the two women locked eyes — a silent exchange that spoke volumes about love, loss, and legacy.

Earlier, upon disembarking the aircraft, Winnie was seen carrying her father’s hat close to her chest. For decades, the white fedora had been inseparable from Raila Odinga’s image — a distinctive symbol that accompanied him through political victories, struggles, and public appearances.

Images shared from Mumbai had already stirred emotions across the nation. One particularly striking photograph showed Raila’s hat resting on a beige airport lounge seat — a haunting reminder of the man who had, for decades, been the heartbeat of Kenyan politics.

By personally bringing the hat home and handing it to her mother, Winnie transformed what was once a signature accessory into a powerful emblem of continuity — a bridge between the past and the future, private grief and national mourning.

The moment encapsulated the spirit of a family in mourning, and a nation reflecting on the enduring legacy of a man who shaped its democratic journey.

Raila Odinga passed away on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at the age of 80 while receiving medical treatment in India. His hat, once a mark of his calm yet resolute demeanor, now stands as a timeless symbol of his life and leadership.