Japheth Muriuki, known for the slogan that went viral 11 years ago, revealed that he left his late wife’s body in the mortuary so that he could attend Raila’s burial in Bondo. Speaking with deep emotion, Muriuki said his wife died on the same day Raila passed away, adding that he would bury her on November 7.
“I have voted for Raila six times. He was my friend, my business associate, and my political mentor. My wife died the same day as Baba, but I had to come and say goodbye to him first,” he said.
Muriuki’s slogan, “Baba While You Were Away,” became a rallying cry when Raila returned to the country after a three-month stay in the United States. The phrase summarized the frustrations Kenyans were facing at the time and helped solidify Raila’s image as a defender of democracy.
Reflecting on that moment, Muriuki said he never imagined that his admiration for Raila would run so deep that it would one day bring him to Bondo while grieving his own loss. “What Baba started, we will complete. His dream for justice, equality, and economic freedom must live on,” he added.
Thousands of mourners filled the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology grounds to pay their final respects to the veteran leader. Emotional scenes unfolded as Raila’s body was taken to his final resting place, with many breaking into tears and chants of farewell.
For Muriuki, the day symbolized both personal grief and the end of a political era. “I lost my wife and my leader on the same day,” he said quietly, “but Baba’s spirit will never die.”
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