Raila Odinga’s Long-Serving Bodyguard Maurice Ogeta Resurfaces, Pays Emotional Tribute at Opoda Farm

Maurice Ogeta, the long-serving and famously low-profile bodyguard to the late Raila Amollo Odinga, resurfaced on Friday after weeks of silence, making a deeply emotional visit to Opoda Farm to pay his final respects to the man he protected for decades.His

appearance marked one of the most symbolic homecomings since the passing of the opposition leader and former Prime Minister, drawing hundreds of relatives, clan members and residents who accompanied him in a solemn pilgrimage.Ogeta, who became a familiar yet silent figure at Raila’s side through political storms, street protests, election cycles, state functions and personal trials, arrived quietly at Kang’o ka Jaramogi the ancestral home where generations of the Odinga family are laid to rest. This time, however, he did not walk as an aide or as the stoic figure often seen shielding the veteran politician from danger.

He came as a son of the land, a man in mourning, and a loyal servant honouring the memory of his departed boss.For many who witnessed his arrival, the moment carried a powerful symbolism. Ogeta had, for years, been part of nearly every significant step Raila Odinga made in public life — guarding him in chaotic rallies, guiding him through crowds, and standing steadfastly behind him during some of Kenya’s most turbulent moments.

Those close to the Odinga family often described him as more than a bodyguard: he was an extension of Raila’s political machinery and, in many ways, a silent custodian of the statesman’s safety and privacy.During his visit, Ogeta was joined by elders, women adorned in traditional lesos, youths draped in political colours, and children carried on their mothers’ backs.The

The large group walked in respectful silence to the flower-covered grave where Raila was laid to rest. Witnesses described the atmosphere as unusually calm — “a moment where even the wind seemed to pause.”In front of the grave, Ogeta stood still for several minutes, head bowed, seemingly overwhelmed by the weight of years spent beside a man whose life shaped Kenya’s political history.Observers

Observers noted that this was not a ceremonial visit; it was personal, profound and rooted deeply in loyalty and the cultural significance of paying last respects to a patriarch.Community elders from Bondo later described Ogeta’s visit as “a homecoming of honour,” calling him a man who served with unmatched commitment.Many

Many urged him to one day document his experiences a testimony that would offer unique insight into Raila Odinga’s life behind the scenes.As the gathering dispersed, one sentiment lingered among those present: Maurice Ogeta did not just guard a political figure he guarded a legacy. And in returning to Opoda Farm, he demonstrated the depth of a loyalty that transcended duty, politics and time.