Why Raila's love for people is unmatched – Kingi

Senate Speaker Amason Kingi with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga during an Iftar dinner hosted by the former PM on March 19, 2025/X

Senate Speaker Amason Kingi now says that former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s love for the people of Kenya is unmatched.

According to Kingi, Raila has for many years lived his life for the people and not himself.

He went on to say that he does not remember him living for himself from the time he was a young boy and even today.

“It's very refreshing once again to sit by the side of Baba (Raila Odinga) and just tap his wisdom. Baba your love for the people is unparalleled in this country,” Kingi said in his address at an Iftar dinner hosted by Raila in Upperhill.

"You have for so many years lived your life for others. I don’t remember any moment since I joined politics as a young boy, seeing you living for yourself. You've always lived for others and even today gathering is a testimony that you care about people,” Kingi said in his address at an Iftar dinner hosted by Raila in Upperhill."

He went on to say that Raila has also been great at mentoring leaders including himself.

He equated the former Prime Minister to former and long-serving Arsenal coach Arsène Wenger who, unlike other coaches who went for star players, went for little-known players and in the end made them football stars.

Kingi said he was a living testimony of that as Raila saw potential in him as a young man and mentored him to who he is today.

He said this is despite not having come from a political family and having no one he could call a political godfather.

“For the many years I have worked with Raila, he doesn’t care about how heavy or light your name is. If he sees potential in you, he will pick you and make you a star. I am a living testimony. I am from a family that is not political I was the first politician in our family," he said.

“I had no political shoulder to lean on, I had nobody I could call a political godfather but when I first entered politics in 2007, Raila Odinga saw potential in me, held my hand, made me a Cabinet minister and stood with me and today I'm a star because I have walked through Baba's hands.”

The Senate Speaker added any person who has been mentored by the former Prime Minister and failed to become a star should have him or herself to blame.

“Anybody who has gone through his hands and has not become a star, shida ni yako.”