Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Saturday paid an emotional tribute to his late bodyguard, George Oduor, recalling him as one of the few people he fully trusted with his life.
Speaking at Oduor’s burial service held at Ramba Boys High School in Siaya County, Raila described the late Oduor as a highly skilled and devoted security officer who stood out for his professionalism and loyalty. He noted that Oduor had undergone extensive training in South Africa, Israel, and the United States, which made him exceptionally good at identifying risks and ensuring safety.
“If someone was ever willing to take a bullet for me, it was George. There are very few people with the level of dedication and commitment that George had,” Raila said. “When he trained in South Africa, he topped his class. He later trained in Israel and the U.S. and everywhere he went, he excelled. He had a sixth sense for danger.”
Oduor had served as Raila’s bodyguard since the 1990s until his passing on April 2 at the Nairobi West Hospital.
During his tribute, the ODM leader also took the opportunity to speak on matters of national governance, emphasizing the importance of strengthening devolution for better service delivery.
He lamented that the current structure still leaves too much control in the hands of the national government, which affects efficiency, especially in the regions.
“Devolution was met with a lot of resistance in the beginning. Organizations like KNUT opposed it, fearing that it would dismantle their operations,” Raila noted. “But if implemented properly, devolution would bring visible change across the country.”
He went on to propose the decentralization of key state agencies, including the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) and the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA), arguing that such bodies should operate under the county governments.
“There is no need for KURA and KeRRA to be run from Nairobi. How can someone in the capital plan roads for Mombasa or Western Kenya? It’s inefficient,” he said.
Raila further called for a re-evaluation of the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF), suggesting that its functions be handed over to counties, while Members of Parliament focus strictly on oversight, legislation and representation.
“MPs should not be implementing projects. How can you oversee something you are executing yourself? Let those funds go to the counties, and if governors misuse them, they will be held accountable,” he concluded.
The funeral ceremony brought together leaders, friends and family to honor the life of George Oduor, a man remembered for his humility, professionalism and unwavering dedication to service.
