Raila Odinga: The Man Who Shaped Kenyan Politics
The Iconic Leader Who Left an Indelible Mark on Kenya's Political Landscape
Raila Odinga, a towering figure in Kenyan politics, has passed away at the age of 80, leaving behind a legacy that will forever shape the nation's political trajectory. Despite facing numerous setbacks and five unsuccessful presidential bids, Odinga's unwavering commitment to multi-party democracy and his enduring influence on Kenyan politics are undeniable.
Odinga's political journey began as a fiery advocate for multi-party democracy, captivating near-fanatical supporters and drawing criticism from a threatened political elite. Affectionately known as 'Baba' (father), he became a symbol of hope and resistance for many Kenyans.
His death marks the end of an era for a revered pan-Africanist, leaving a significant void in Kenya's opposition as the country prepares for the 2027 elections. Despite his political misfortunes, Odinga remained a political force so influential that successive Kenyan presidents struggled to govern without his support.
In 2022, Odinga made his fifth attempt at the presidency, coming closest to the top job in 2008 when he was appointed prime minister in a coalition government. However, his political career was not without controversy. In February, he lost the race to lead the African Union Commission to Djibouti's foreign affairs minister.
Despite his political setbacks, Odinga's impact on Kenyan politics cannot be overstated. Last year, President William Ruto reached out to Odinga for a political deal, resulting in opposition leaders being appointed to the cabinet. Four members of Odinga's ODM party joined what is now known as a 'broad-based' government, a move seen by many as Ruto's attempt to solidify his hold on power.
Odinga faced heavy criticism, especially from young people behind last year's anti-government protests, who accused him of betrayal. He insisted that he only 'donated' experts to help the president 'save' the country. An avid football fan and supporter of English premier league club Arsenal, Odinga came from the Luo ethnic group, the fourth largest in Kenya.
He had a passionate following, and his adoring fans had nicknames for him like 'Agwambo' (Act of God) and 'Tinga' (Tractor), drawn from his party symbol in the 1997 election. His signature slow-motion dance to reggae tunes at rallies, known as 'The Raila Dance,' became widely imitated in social gatherings.
In the 2022 presidential election, Odinga chose former Justice Minister Martha Karua as his running mate, a move widely welcomed as it was the first time a presidential front-runner had chosen a female deputy. Odinga was seen as the political heir to his father, Jaramogi Odinga, Kenya's first vice-president after independence.
Jaramogi Odinga favored closer ties with the Soviet Union and China, while Jomo Kenyatta preferred an alliance with the US and other Western powers. Their differences worsened, with Jaramogi Odinga imprisoned for 18 months until his release in 1971. Raila Odinga, too, was a former political prisoner, holding the record for being Kenya's longest-serving detainee.
His struggle against one-party dictatorship saw him detained twice during the rule of Jomo Kenyatta's successor, Daniel arap Moi. Initially imprisoned for trying to stage a coup in 1982, Odinga was propelled onto the national stage. After multi-party democracy was introduced a decade later, he repeatedly failed in his attempts to win power, often claiming he had been cheated of victory.
This led to one of the biggest political crises in Kenya's history, with about 1,200 people dying and thousands fleeing their homes after Odinga was convinced that then-President Mwai Kibaki stole the 2007 election. After mediation talks led by former UN chief Kofi Annan, Odinga took the post of prime minister in a coalition government, but his relationship with Kibaki was marred by what he called 'supremacy wars'.
In the 2017 election, he lost to Uhuru Kenyatta at the ballot box but won in the Supreme Court, which nullified the result due to widespread irregularities he had highlighted. Odinga, however, boycotted the re-run, saying a level playing field had not been created. This paved the way for Kenyatta's re-election, while Odinga declared himself 'the people's president' at a huge rally in Nairobi.
His supporters heeded his call to boycott businesses owned by the Kenyatta family to show their anger at the president's re-election. The long-standing rivalry between Odinga and Kenyatta ended with a famous handshake in 2018, culminating in Kenyatta backing Odinga's final bid for the presidency in 2022.
Odinga was a dedicated pan-Africanist who criticized neo-colonialism and championed African unity, self-reliance, and integration through infrastructure development. He served as the African Union High Representative for Infrastructure Development from 2018 to 2023. The African Union (AU) also appointed him to mediate in the 2010-2011 political crisis in Ivory Coast.
In his spare time, Odinga enjoyed working out at the gym, taking walks in his neighborhood in Nairobi, and in his village in Siaya in western Kenya. Born on January 7, 1945, in Maseno, Kisumu county, he studied in what was then East Germany, acquiring a master's degree in mechanical engineering in 1970.
Odinga was married to Mama Ida, and together they had four children: the late Fidel, Rosemary, Raila Junior, and Winnie. Fidel was named after Cuban leader Fidel Castro, and Odinga once explained that he chose the name because his son was born at the height of the Cold War, and 'Mr. Castro was seen to be standing against the US in the Vietnam war'.
Odinga's commitment to creating a Western-style democracy in Kenya is likely to be his enduring legacy, even if he felt that the electoral system was so flawed that it denied him the opportunity to become president.
