AU Envoy Raila Odinga's wife, Ida Odinga, on Thursday, joined the Kenya High School family in eulogising the late Bomet Governor, Joyce Laboso.
This was during her memorial service at All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi, which was attended by Deputy President William Ruto, among other leaders in the country.
According to Ida, who was Ms Laboso's teacher back in high school, the governor's ability to lead was seen even when she was still in school, which is why she cajoled Joyce into joining politics.
Ida narrated that her journey with Joyce, however, did not end after high school.
"The day after burying Lorna Laboso, her sister, who died in an accident, I was in the Laboso's home at 6:00 am, and the aim of that meeting was to convince Joyce to take over the seat of Lorna Laboso," she began.
Ida disclosed, "It was not easy convincing her, but I told her she had what it takes to be a leader. She had been a leader right from her school days. She was determined, focussed, a very loving person and a woman of the people."
"Well it didn't take me long, after 3 hours, Joyce was convinced that she could be a Member of Parliament(MP), and took over that seat of Lorna," she concluded.
Laboso took up the MP seat for Sotik and in 2017, she beat former governor for Bomet, Isaac Ruto, for the gubernatorial seat.
In her speech, Ida further reminisced on an encounter with the former governor's father, Fred Laboso, as he was travelling to her home in Migori.
"One time I was driving from Kisumu to my home in Migori and by the time I reached Sotik, I had a puncture and I was unable to change the tire," she recounted.
"As I stood stranded, a man pulled up ordered his driver to change the tyre for me and while waiting in the Farmers Club in Sotik, I asked his name. He replied saying he's Fred Laboso, curious, I asked if he was Laboso's brother and he said he was her father," shared the smiling Ida.
The two later proceeded to Fred's home where she met the rest of Laboso's sisters.
The Kenya High School fraternity also honoured the old girl with their school hymn and song, and the Principal Florah Mulatya, presented a copy of Joyce's high school file to her amused husband.
