Africa-Press – Kenya. Homa Bay Woman Representative Joyce Atieno Bensuda, on Tuesday, broke down in tears in Parliament as she paid a heartfelt tribute to the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
She described the former Prime Minister as a leader who changed her political journey and supported her at a time when others dismissed her ambitions.
With a breaking voice, Bensuda recalled moments early in her career when she was discouraged from pursuing elective politics.
She said some people were telling her she was wasting her time and would not secure a nomination.
Bensuda recounted travelling to meet Raila and sharing her frustrations with him personally.
“Raila Amolo Odinga, rest in peace. Raila was God-sent. I shared with Baba my heart in his ear, and he gave me a hearing. He told me, go and campaign, I am behind you,” she said.
She said his assurance strengthened her resolve, even as some laughed at her for campaigning with only one pick-up vehicle across Homa Bay County.
Bensuda said she was not awarded a direct party ticket but went through a competitive nomination process where residents voted for her.
She said her experience should remind politicians to remain resilient, honest, and committed to serving Kenyans.
“We must be resilient. We must be focused. We must put tribalism aside. We must be truly there for the people of Kenya. May his soul rest in eternal peace. He remains in my heart forever,” she said.
She urged leaders to mentor young politicians and avoid betrayal in public service.
Nominated Senator Hezena Lemaletian broke down as she paid tribute to the late Raila, describing him as a leader who deeply understood and prioritised the needs of the youth in Kenya.
Speaking during the special sitting, Lemaletian questioned the lack of clear communication between government policies and the youth, noting that many young people remain unaware of initiatives meant to benefit them.
“Who is this bridging the gap between the government and the youth, because there is clearly a huge gap?”
Lemaletian said young people make up the majority of Kenya’s population and voters, yet youth affairs continue to be placed under the Ministry of Sports and Culture, which she argued dilutes the focus.
“The youth make up the largest demographic in this country. We make up over 75 per cent of the population. That means we cannot afford to have the youth affairs being put under culture and sports. Those are very diverse things. I don’t even see the correlation between the three,” she said.
She called for the creation of an independent Ministry for Youth Affairs, saying it would allow proper budgeting, policy coordination, and a stronger national agenda centered on young people.
“If we have an independent youth ministry, we can have a budget for the youth, we can streamline all government operations through the ministry, so that we can take care of the business of the youth, because it is a very huge business,” she said.
Lemaletian credited Raila for championing the idea of an independent youth ministry during his last campaign, saying his vision centered on uplifting the largest demographic in the country.
“Baba had a dream in the last campaign, and he wanted the Ministry of Youth to be an independent ministry. The youth occupied a very central part of his heart. He understood that the country is going nowhere if we are not talking about the youth.”
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