NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 19 – National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed has declared himself the “chairman of political orphans” following the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, saying the loss has left a huge political and emotional void in Kenya.Speaking during Odinga’s burial in Bondo, Junet said the outpouring of grief across the country showed that many Kenyans, not just members of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), had been left feeling politically orphaned.“I have seen people on social media saying that I am a political orphan. But coming here, I have seen a lot of political orphans, a lot of people are crying,” Junet remarked.“So I will gather all these political orphans and be their chairman.”According to Junet, Odinga’s passing has also affected even his critics, noting that even those who used to insult Odinga and turn him into their political boogeyman had also lost, as they no longer had anyone left to insult.Since Odinga’s death, social media has been abuzz with comments suggesting that many ODM leaders have lost a political father figure who guided their careers and anchored the opposition’s voice.Raila Odinga, 80, died of cardiac arrest while receiving treatment in Kochi, India.According to doctors who attended to him during his final moments, Odinga had been undergoing treatment for underlying health conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease.His death has triggered a wave of mourning across the political divide, with leaders describing him as a patriot, reformist, and defender of democracy whose influence transcended generations.