I’m the next Joshua we’ll reach Canaan
In a heartfelt tribute, the former Vice President praised Raila as a courageous champion for justice, truth, and the fight against corruption. He expressed his commitment to uphold the values that have shaped Raila’s political journey.
“I want to talk to Raila. We called you Joshua, but we never got to Canaan. There were indeed crocodiles across the River Jordan, as you used to say,” Kalonzo said during the burial ceremony at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology on Sunday.
He mentioned that although Raila didn’t get to witness the promised land himself, his mission would not be in vain.
“My brother Raila, we called you Joshua. You glimpsed the promised land from the mountaintop but never set foot in Canaan. Yet, we will reach it in your honor,” he expressed.
Kalonzo committed to carrying forward the principles that Raila championed, such as the pursuit of democracy, justice, and national unity. “I promise you — the values you fought for, the tears and heartache from the stolen elections, will not be forgotten. Our nation must come together,” he declared.
Drawing from a line in the funeral program, Kalonzo connected Raila’s struggles to the powerful words of Martin Luther King Jr.:
“You have been to the mountaintop; you have seen the promised land. You may never get there with us, but we have to get there on your behalf.”
Kalonzo has been a close ally of Raila for many years, even serving as his running mate in two back-to-back presidential elections. In 2022, he made the decision to step aside, paving the way for Martha Karua to take on that role.
At the gathering, Kalonzo was the sole opposition leader to speak. Among the other notable attendees were Martha Karua, the leader of the People’s Liberation Party, former Chief Justice David Maraga, ex-Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, and DAP-Kenya leader Eugene Wamalwa.
In a heartfelt tribute shared on social media, Kalonzo expressed that his relationship with Raila goes far beyond just politics.
“Raila was a man who valued friendship, and we were both great fans of Arsenal Football Club. We used to go to the club to watch football together,” he wrote.
I’m the next Joshua we’ll reach Canaan
