Former Prime minister Raila Amollo Odinga’s longest serving and most loyal bodyguard George Oduor alias Ratego has passed on.
According to the family, George Oduor who has served Raila since 1990s passed away on Wednesday afternoon while undergoing treatment. The exact cause of his death is yet to be revealed.
George Oduor has been with Raila Odinga through thick and thin and was always with the Azimio leader everywhere he went, especially during the dark moments of liberations which were marked by teargas during the many demonstrations and in all his political rallies.
According to those who know him as George Raila, the man was not only a well-trained security personnel but also a serious CID that had full access to intelligence reports, which helped him provide security to the former prime minister from the 1990s.
Interestingly, those who knew him reveal that he was Jaramogi Oginga Odinga’s personal security before transitioning to Raila’s close protection bodyguard after the death of Jaramogi.
Having served as the longest opposition leader in Kenya, Raila found himself at loggerheads with most regimes namely the Moi regime, Kibaki regime, Uhuru regime and the Ruto regime before the recent agreement that saw them form a broad-based government. For the ODM leader to survive through all these regimes, it means he had reliable men like George guarding him round the clock and not betraying him no matter what.
Following his death, Raila remains with Maurice Ogeta who is not only a popular figure around him too but has also served the ODM leader for a long time. Ogeta Maurice and George Raila were and have been the ODM leader’s most visible, most loyal and most trusted by the Odinga family. With the sudden passing of George, Maurice Ogeta will have to pick the mantle and keep protecting Mr. Odinga.
The death of Oduor has caught many by surprise with many sending their condolences. These are what many Kenyans wrote about the late:
“Jakom and his family members have lost the most brave, loyal and longtime bodyguard who risked his life to protect baba until his death. We stand in solidarity with the family of Mr. George Oduor in mourning of his passing away this afternoon.”
“This was a loyal man. The man that had all the opportunities to receive the money from the opponents and betray Mr. Odinga but he did not. May he rest in peace.”
“The luo nation has lost one of its finest sons in the field of security. This was one guy who was not only humble but also dedicated in his job. Rest in peace our son.”
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