[Photos] Kenya's opposition chief sends 'Letter from Jerusalem'

Kenya’s leading opposition figure, Raila Odinga, wrote a letter from the Holy Land of Jerusalem in which he disclosed a tradition he cultivated during his time in detention. Writing down his wishes for the East African country.

The 72-year-old was detained in 1982 for six months without trial on charges that he was complicit in a coup plot against then president Daniel Arap Moi.

‘‘I began the tradition of writing down my wishes for this country during my time in detention. For those who may not know detention is a miserable place with time mostly spent alone. You are completely alone for 23 out of 24 hours of the day,’‘ his letter read.

‘‘Those days it would take sometimes six months to pass letters between my loved ones and myself. With a lot of time on my hands, I used to write down the many wishes I had for the people of Kenya,’‘ it added.

Odinga who was recently chosen as flagbearer for the opposition National Super Alliance (NASA) used his social media handles to show his religious engagements in Jerusalem. He is seen at the Western Wall which is known as the Temple of Solomon, he described it as, ‘‘a very strong symbolism of strength and unity.’‘

The reason being that the site is sacred to all three Abrahamic religion, Islam, Judaism and Christianity. It is reported to have been built some 5000 years ago.

The former Prime Minister who is taking a fourth shot at the presidency was in Jerusalem to deliver a lecture on Democracy, Religion and Peace in Africa. Pictures attached to his letter showed him with a Jewish cap – the yarmulke – offering prayers, reading and placing his letter in the wall.

He lost the last elections to incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta, both men go head-to-head in upcoming polls in August this year. Kenyatta gunning for his second five-year-term on the Jubilee coalition whiles Odinga looks to win the seat on the fourth try.