Just like his father Jaramogi Oginga Odinga who was a troublesome individual during his schooling days, Raila was also a notorious pupil who gave teachers a nightmare at the Maranda Primary School in the mid 50's.
He and his elder brother Oburu Odinga always got into trouble with the tutors and were consequently caned. On one occasion their mother Mary Ajuma, Oginga's first wife, was roped into their mess.
On that day, the boys were caned for missing school on their mother's orders and when that happened, they turned the heat on their mother who had assured them that she had sought permission for them.
Mary had approached their teacher two days earlier and secured an absence leave to have the two boys watch over their siblings as she attended a funeral in Alego, her ancestral home.
When the boys lamented of the punishment, she accompanied them to school where she viciously lectured the teacher for breaking their memorandum of understanding, in the presence of the boys, apparently to exonerate herself from the blame.
The furious mother demanded answers as to why the two had been punished, lecturing the teacher to stick to their agreement and accusing him of belittling women, hence the move to disobey it.
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