Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Director of Communications Philip Etale has reminisced how former Prime Minister Raila Odinga reacted strongly to a casual remark about election rigging.
In an emotional tribute, Etale described Raila as a principled leader who valued integrity, order, and the rule of law.
He recounted an incident at the Nairobi Club where the ODM leader almost slapped him for jokingly suggesting that they should plan to rig elections.
“Baba was so close to me. He was a gentleman. He could never sleep with my missed call; he returned it even in the middle of the night. He loved order and respected the rule of law,” Etale said.
He narrated that during a conversation, he told Raila that his opponents were used to stealing his victory and maybe they should also plan to rig themselves into office.
According to Etale, the comment did not sit well with the ODM leader.
“He turned blue, looked at me with sharp eyes, switched his phone from the left to the right hand. Then I knew he was about to smack my face,” he recalled.
Raila, he said, firmly rebuked him, and insisted that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), which was at the time led by late Wafula Chebukati was up to the task.
“Stop this nonsense. Why would a sane person plan to rig a democratic election? Kenyans pay a lot of money to have a credible election. Chebukati and his team are up to the task.”
Etale said he immediately apologized for upsetting Raila, adding that the incident taught him that the ODM leader stood firmly for fairness and democracy.
“Baba, I will miss you,” he concluded.
Etale, a former journalist has worked with the late ODM leader since quitting the newsroom.
He remains one of his closest aides to date.