The king of the Anyuak community, a Luo-speaking group found in South Sudan and Ethiopia, on Saturday sent a message of condolence to the family of Raila Odinga and the people of Kenya following the death of the former prime minister in India on Wednesday.
King Akway Agada Akway Cham said in a statement extended to Radio Tamazuj that the Anyuak people share deep historical, cultural, and linguistic ties with the Luo of Kenya, and stand in solidarity with them during the period of mourning.
“It is with deep sorrow and profound sympathy that the Anywaa Kingdom Worldwide conveys its heartfelt condolences to the family of His Excellency Raila Amolo Odinga, to the Luo community in Kenya and across the diaspora, and to the entire people of the Republic of Kenya during this time of national mourning,” he said.
Cham described Odinga as “more than a national leader,” calling him “a Pan-African statesman, a champion of democracy, and a symbol of courage, justice, and perseverance.”
“His lifelong dedication to equality, good governance, and the empowerment of the marginalized will continue to resonate across Africa and inspire generations yet to come,” the king said.
He announced that a delegation of Anyuak representatives had been dispatched to join mourners in Odinga’s hometown in Siaya County, western Kenya.
“The Anywaa Kingdom Worldwide joins the people of Kenya in honoring a visionary leader whose voice and courage shaped not only the destiny of his nation but also the moral conscience of our continent,” Cham said. “We pray for Mama Ida Odinga, the entire Odinga family, and the global Luo community, that Almighty God may grant you peace, strength, and unity in this time of grief.”
Cham added that Odinga, as a proud son of the Luo nation and one of the founders of the Luo Festival of Piny-Lou, worked tirelessly to promote unity, cultural pride, and the preservation of African heritage.
“The Festival of Piny-Lou, which brings together Luo descendants from different nations in the spirit of peace, culture, and brotherhood, stands today as a living testimony of his belief in African solidarity and the preservation of indigenous identity,” he said.