I also benefited from George Oduor’s security services – Ruto

President William Ruto speaking at the funeral of Raila Odinga's aide George Oduor/SCREENGRAB

President William Ruto has said that he also benefited from the services of Raila Odinga’s late bodyguard George Oduor.

Speaking at his funeral in Ndori, Siaya county, Ruto said he knew Oduor back when he was a member of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party.

He said that whenever they found themselves in situations that needed protection, Oduor protected them.

“I came to know George as a member of ODM then and we were in many places together and somebody said here I benefited also from his security service and that is true. Whenever we went to situation George was in hand and many of the people I've seen here including Lumumba who I thought was a security officer, I now know he is an elected MCA,” Ruto said.

He went on to say that he had attended the funeral to celebrate a patriot and a man of great integrity.

The President described the late Oduor as a confidant of the former Prime Minister and a man of immeasurable loyalty who could be trusted with anything.

“I'm here because George demonstrated beyond any doubt that he is a Kenyan who has demonstrated competence as a security officer. Competence and integrity as a confidant and he has shown immeasurable loyalty as a Kenyan patriot and trusted with the security of Raila Odinga.

“George, though being a very humble security officer and because I believe very strongly in the bottom-up principle, that's why I have come here to celebrate this humble person who has demonstrated great loyalty.”

Ruto said that it was indeed difficult listening to the speeches of Mama Caren Auma, the widow of George and Raila Odinga.

George, who was aged 57, passed away on Wednesday, April 2, at a hospital in Nairobi after a short illness.

He hah been Raila’s bodyguard since 1995.

He is being laid to rest at his home in Ndori, next to Bondo.