Katjavivi pays tribute to former Kenyan premier Odinga

Former National Assembly speaker Peter Katjavivi has paid tribute to the late Kenyan opposition leader and former prime minister, Raila Odinga, who died at the age of 80 this week.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Katjavivi says Namibians received the news of Odinga’s death with great sorrow, recalling Kenya’s longstanding solidarity with Namibia during its liberation struggle.

“Over the decades, the Kenyan citizenry and leadership have been very close to our hearts as Namibians, having played a strong role in supporting our struggle for freedom and independence,” he says.

Katjavivi says Odinga followed in the footsteps of his father, Jaramogi Odinga, who was a strong advocate of pan-Africanism and accountability.

Reflecting on Odinga’s political journey, Katjavivi recalled how Namibia, through former president Hage Geingob, encouraged reconciliation between Odinga and then-president Uhuru Kenyatta during Kenya’s post-election tensions.

“As Namibia, it saddened us to see friends who stood with us in times of need turning against each other at the expense of national unity. President Geingob felt it was necessary to encourage dialogue between the two leaders for the sake of nation-building and African solidarity,” Katjavivi says.

Odinga died in India on Wednesday.

International media has reported that he has been receiving medical treatment abroad and suffered a heart attack.

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