Winnie Odinga: I sat with my father for 2 hours the night before his death

Winnie Odinga, daughter of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, has said that the last conversations she had with her father were deeply personal and should remain private.

Speaking during an interview with Citizen TV on January 27, Winnie said she spent two hours with her father the night before he died.

“We sat in his room for two hours discussing everything,” she said.

She added that not all conversations between them were meant for public consumption.

“They were deeply personal, and I feel it would be disrespectful of me to share those personal conversations that I had in private with the public,” Winnie said.

She also cautioned against speculation about what her father may have said in his final hours.

“There are very many people who may now say that the party leader may have said this and that. I feel it is not incumbent upon them to bring that into the forefront,” she said.

“I think it is disrespectful to the departed, and I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to discuss that.”

Winnie Odinga also reflected on her long working relationship with her father.

“For the last 15 years, I have worked at his side, no matter the dispensation,” she said.

She said they shared similarities, but also differed in many ways.

“We used to challenge each other, we used to test each other and push each other,” she said.

Winnie described their relationship as complex, saying it is hard for her to discuss.

“He was my father, he was my party leader, he was my mentor, and he was also my closest friend and coping with this difficult time without him has been quite difficult,” she said.