“He Made You Question Everything”: Winnie Odinga Pays Moving Tribute To Late Father

East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) Member of Parliament Winnie Odinga has shared personal reflections on her late father, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, describing his profound curiosity and intellectual rigor as defining traits that challenged those around him to think critically.

Speaking on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at the Nairobi International Book Fair—where she represented her family as her late father was posthumously inducted into the Kenya Publishers Association Hall of Fame—Winnie recalled how the elder statesman rarely accepted information at face value, regardless of how confidently it was presented.

“My father was curious. Extremely curious. You could tell him something confidently, and he would ask why,” Winnie stated during the ceremony. “You would explain, and he would say, ‘Who told you’? You would answer, then, ‘Have you checked?’ By the end of the conversation, you are not sure of something you had been certain about 5 minutes before.”

Winnie emphasized that her father’s penchant for relentless questioning was never meant to disarm people, but rather to cultivate independent thought, analytical rigor, and intellectual honesty among his colleagues, advisors, and family members. She noted that he disdained sycophancy and preferred engaging with individuals who rigorously verified facts before reaching conclusions.

The posthumous induction into the Kenya Publishers Association Hall of Fame honors the late opposition leader’s lifetime contributions to Kenyan governance, political literature, and the national democratic discourse.