Passaris Calls Out Gen Z Over Using Pope Francis To Mock Raila [VIDEO]

Passaris called on Gen Z to show respect for Raila and the billions of Catholics worldwide who are mourning the death of their spiritual leader

Viral Tea Ke Writer Viral Tea Ke Writer
Apr 22, 2025 - 17:40 Updated: Apr 22, 2025 - 17:45
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Passaris Calls Out Gen Z Over Using Pope Francis To Mock Raila [VIDEO]
Collage of Esther Passaris, an edited image of Raila Odinga as Pope and the late Pope Francis. /ESTHER PASSARIS. VIRAL TEA KE

Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris on Tuesday, April 22, slammed Gen Zs for 'photoshopping' former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, teasing him as the next Pope following the death of Pope Francis.

Speaking in the National Assembly during an afternoon session, Passaris called on Gen Z to show respect for Raila and the billions of Catholics worldwide who are mourning the death of their spiritual leader, who passed away on Monday.

“I have seen a lot of people on social media, the ones who have no respect, painting a picture of a man who lived with God and ruled two billion people as a spiritual leader by putting Raila’s image and Raila in Pope clothes. I think that is so disrespectful,” she noted.

“I want to tell our Gen Zs out there, you should have respect for Raila Odinga, the two billion Catholics, and the pope. He has not even been laid to rest, and you use his passing as a mockery. It is something you should be ashamed of."

Her outburst appeared to be triggered by Kenyans using AI-generated images to mockingly depict Raila as the next pope—a tongue-in-cheek jab at his repeated, unsuccessful bids for top leadership positions both in Kenya and across Africa.

Raila has run for president five times and also vied for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship, but none of those efforts paid off, making him a frequent target of online mockery.

Similar sentiments were shared on Monday by Kimilili Member of Parliament (MP) Didmus Barasa, who wrote, "Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga is a prominent and respected leader in our country, and he deserves to be treated with dignity. The recent circulation of edited images depicting him in the Pope’s attire is deeply disrespectful, not only to him but also to the Catholic Church and the entire Christian fraternity."

Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday, April 21, at 7:35 am after battling double pneumonia for over a month, according to Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber.

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936, had led the Catholic Church since 2013. He had a long history of respiratory problems, stemming from a lung infection in his youth that led to part of one lung being removed. In recent years, he faced repeated respiratory infections, including a bout of bronchitis in 2023 that required hospitalisation.

On Monday, April 21, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis had passed away following a stroke, which led to a coma and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse. 

Dr. Andrea Arcangeli, head of the Vatican’s Health and Hygiene Directorate, issued the official death certificate, and the Holy See Press Office made the announcement that evening.

In line with his final wishes, Pope Francis will be laid to rest on Saturday, April 26, at 11:00 am at the Basilica of St Mary Major.

One of the photos circulating online portrays former Prime Minister Raila Odinga as the next Pope. /CYPRIAN NYAKUNDI

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