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Nairobi Senator and ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has opened up about the warm embrace he received from Ida Odinga during the posthumous birthday of the late Raila Odinga on Tuesday.
The moment, captured on video, has gone viral online, sparking curiosity as Sifuna appeared to be the only leader personally hugged by Raila’s widow, while others received standard greetings.
“Walking through this gate today has been quite surreal. This is the first time since I have known this home to come here when Mzee is not here,” he said.
He explained that Ida Odinga personally reached out to him before the event.
“Mama called me today and she told me, ‘Sifuna, you look like somebody who needs a hug.’ I am eternally grateful that I have come to your home and I have gotten that hug. It is going to renew my spirit and my strength,” Sifuna added.
Viral Video of Mama Ida Hugging Edwin Sifuna
Observers have interpreted the gesture as a sign of personal reassurance and encouragement from the Odinga family to Sifuna, reflecting both emotional solidarity and mutual respect within ODM.
Sifuna’s encounter underscores the human side of political interactions, offering a glimpse of warmth and empathy amid public leadership duties and the continued commemoration of Raila Odinga’s legacy.