We heard with great sadness the news that H.E. Mr Raila Odinga passed away while he was in India.
Please accept, Your Excellency, heartfelt condolences from my wife, Zanele, and I, as well as our colleagues at the Thabo Mbeki Foundation.
We humbly request that Your Excellency uses your good offices to convey the same to his dear family, his esteemed political colleagues and the sister people of Kenya as a whole.
We will always remember Prime Minister Raila Odinga as a towering Kenyan statesperson and an eminent pan-Africanist.
As Your Excellency knows, our Continent, Africa, is currently faced with many challenges. It has desperate need for the invaluable services of its wise and experienced daughters and sons such as the late Raila Odinga.
His sudden and unexpected departure has left a painful void which many of us throughout Africa will feel, joining yours and his people, Your Excellency, the great sister people of Kenya.
We owe it to him to do everything in our power to pursue the abiding dream for the unity and renaissance of Africa of a great and valued son of Africa, Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
We thank Your Excellency for the dignified manner in which you and your esteemed Government have received the mortal remains of the late Raila
Odinga and remain assured that his final farewell rites will be discharged with all the accolade and respect due to a great son of Kenya and Africa.
Please accept, Your Excellency, our heartfelt condolences at the loss of an outstanding Kenyan patriot and leader and well-respected pan-Africanist, as well as the assurance of our highest consideration.
May he rest in eternal peace.