His is the story of an extraordinary political career, a true testament to resilience and endurance.
A man who persevered through some of the most difficult moments in Kenya’s political history, only to rise again, time and time again, as if untouched by defeat.
This is who Raila Odinga, Kenya’s former Prime Minister, was: the embodiment of hope, a never-die spirit that carried him through even his lowest moments, and there were many.
From losing five presidential elections to the tragic death of his firstborn son, Fidel, in 2015 at the age of 41, who was widely seen as a potential successor, Raila, who passed away on Wednesday, October 15, at the age of 80, still managed to hold his head high.
Today, a statesman, a dominant figure in Kenyan politics for nearly 40 years, has fallen. To many, he was the father of Kenyan democracy, a title earned through his unwavering fight for justice, freedom, and a better tomorrow.
His resilience can be traced back to key political events, including his detention by the late President Daniel arap Moi, long before the dawn of multi-party democracy.
These were some of the formative battles that shaped the legacy of a man who refused to be silenced.
He was suspected of having played a part in the 1982 coup, which he admitted in his book ‘ Raila Odinga – an enigma in Kenyan politics.
After the death of his father Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, in 1994, he gradually assumed the defacto leadership role of the Luo Community, even though he did not inherit the Ford-Kenya chairmanship.
His political resilience was seen through the way he managed to enter subsequent governments even after losing five times.
After losing in 1997, he joined the late Daniel arap Moi in a ‘cooperation ‘ government.
After the 2002 elections in which he did not vie, he shared in the Narc coalition led by the late Mwai Kibaki, which later collapsed.
In 2007, he led a united opposition against Kibaki, lost controversially, leading to post-election violence that ended with a UN-brokered coalition government in which he became the prime minister.
He lost to Uhuru Kenyatta in 2013 and 2017, ending with a handshake with Uhuru in his second term.
His ultimate loss was in 2022, when he lost to President William Ruto, but yet again formed the current ‘Broad-based’ government.
Oftentimes, the long-standing opposition leader made choices that offended many. Yet, he would always tell his critics that his actions were driven by love for his motherland, a country he placed above personal interests in the name of patriotism. This selflessness was among the qualities highlighted by President Ruto in his tribute.
“Raila Amolo Odinga offered a compelling model of principled politics, and at critical moments in our nation’s journey, he always put Kenya first before individual interest. Fellow patriots, we have lost a beacon of courage, a tower of principle, and a father of our democracy. Let us come together, as he always urged us to do, not as rivals, but as brothers and sisters bound by a shared destiny”, he mourned.
Indeed, his legacy speaks loudly both in life and in death.
The ODM party leader died on Wednesday while receiving treatment in India.
