Raila Odinga Says Couples Are Equal Partners in Marriage: "None Should Lead the Other"
- ODM leader Raila Odinga had urged couples to treat each other with respect and not be superior to others in their unions
- He said the belief that men are leaders in marriages is mistaken, saying it is the major cause of fights in modern unions
- Raila referenced his own marriage, which he said stood the test of time, as they treated each other as equal partners
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ODM leader Raila Odinga says 'power' imbalance is the major cause of wrangles in modern marriages.
Source: UGC
According to him, a union would thrive only if it were treated as a partnership.
The ODM leader, who has been in a marriage with Ida Odinga for over five decades, dismissed the belief that a man in the union is the ultimate leader and custodian of the union.
Why marriages should be based on partnership - Raila Odinga
Raila said that men and women are equal by nature and that neither ought to be under the other for whatever reason.
"There is no leader in marriage. You are equal partners. The reason why many marriages get into difficulties is that someone tells you you are a leader leading your wife, but she is an equal person, mentally gifted just like you. Why would you want to be the one leading her? You are leaving together as equal partners," Raila said.
The ODM leader implied that the men's ego and the feeling of self-importance had ruined marriages that would have otherwise worked had they not depreciated the being of their female partners.
"If you go there chesthumping as the leader and boss in the marriage, then you will have challenges every day," he added.
He said his own marriage has braved the challenges over the decades to be where it is today.
According to him, he regarded his wife as an equal partner in the union and hence succeeded in tackling all the challenges that would have posed a threat to their union.
"Two years ago, Ida and I celebrated our golden anniversary, 50 years of being together. I said on that occasion that if I had the opportunity again,, I would still say. There are a few people who can do that; some would regret and say never again...There were a lot of challenges, but we were able to manage them because we respected each other and worked together. That is my advice," Raila said.
Source: Twitter
Besides the presumed ego of men, Raila also noted that same-gender unions had posed a threat to marriages, asserting that the culture was gaining prominence across the world.
He said that if unchecked, the culture would wipe away the traditional man-woman unions.
"We are in a state where the institution of marriage in some countries is under serious challenges today, it is almost dying. You go to some places, and find a man wedding with a man, a woman and another one getting married. This is a controversial issue, but it is happening. I am happy in our country that we still have the tradition of a man marrying a woman, and we must cherish it and be proud of it," he said.
The ODM leader spoke at the wedding of Frankline Bett's son in Kericho; Bett is a onetime minister in the late Mwai Kibaki's regime.
Why I must greet my wife - Raila Odinga
Elsewhere, Raila shared that he can't leave their house without greeting his wife.
He said it had become his routine for over fifty years that they had been together.
According to him, he won't be at peace unless he checks what Ida is up to before he leaves the house.
The couple is blessed with three children; Raila's eldest child, Fidel Odinga, died in 2025.
Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
