By Wanja Waweru
Mama Ida Odinga, the wife of Raila Odinga, the leader of Azimio la Umoja, has requested that Homa Bay women name their children after her and her husband in order to preserve her lineage.
Mrs. Odinga urged women in the county to give their offspring the names Ida and Raila when she spoke on Wednesday at the introduction of the Homa Bay County Sexual and Gender Based Violence Policy.
According to Mrs. Odinga, the community will uphold the ODM leader’s heritage by naming children after members of the Odinga family.
“It will be a legacy. I am saying this because I love Homa Bay,” Mama Ida said.
She made the remarks after she invited all pregnant women who attended the event to step forward so that she could give them some stipend.
About 15 women in the crowd stepped foward to receive cash from Mama Ida, who asked community members from where the women come from to monitor them before they give birth.
“Watch over them to ensure they deliver safely. But they should also name their children after myself and Raila,” she said.
She offered the choice of naming their daughters after Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga for those ladies who did not want to do so.
Mrs. Odinga clarified that her devotion to Homa Bay is a result of her county-based educational heritage.
In the Homa Bay Sub-county, where Mrs. Odinga is building a multi-million dollar library and talent center, she attended Ogande Girls School.
She urged county residents to enroll their kids in the school so they could take advantage of the center.
“It will be unfortunate if students from other regions are admitted to the school but the ones from the county are locked out,” she said.
