I have postponed my mourning, but eventually, I must accept that it is real. Kenya has lost one of its greatest sons, Raila Amolo Odinga, Tinga, Baba!
Though not perfect, Raila Amolo Odinga did his best for this country — and that, in itself, is no small thing.
For more than five decades, he carried the dreams and disappointments of a people who longed for true freedom — not just freedom from colonial powers, but from poverty, inequality, and injustice. No one can truly claim to have fought as he did for Kenya’s democracy after independence.
Those who insulted him often forgot that they could only do so because he had fought for their freedom to speak.
A Son of Kenya’s First Freedom Generation
Raila Amolo Odinga was born in 1945, in Maseno, Kisumu District — the son of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Kenya’s first Vice President, and Mary Juma Odinga. He was born at a time when Kenya was still under British colonial rule, and conversations about independence filled every corner of his childhood home.
From a young age, he absorbed the ideals of freedom, fairness, and African self-determination. The Odinga household was not one of comfort but of conviction. It was filled with debates, visionaries, and a deep sense that the fight for justice was generational.
That fire stayed with him when he travelled to East Germany on a scholarship to study mechanical engineering in the 1960s — a time when Africa was redefining itself. He saw what disciplined organisation, education, and social justice could do for a nation, and he returned to Kenya ready to serve.
From Engineer to Revolutionary
When Raila came back home, he joined the Kenya Bureau of Standards and later ventured into business. But his heart was not in quiet work. The Kenya he returned to was still under the heavy shadow of single-party rule.
Free thought was dangerous. Opposition was criminal. Ordinary Kenyans whispered their frustrations but dared not voice them. Raila refused to whisper. He questioned. He challenged. He gathered like-minded men and women who believed that Kenya’s independence was incomplete without democracy.
His courage came at a cost.
Raila was detained without trial for years, accused of subversion and involvement in the 1982 attempted coup. For nearly a decade, he lived between prison cells and house arrest. Tortured, humiliated, and isolated — yet unbroken.
Many would have given up; Raila Amolo Odinga sharpened his resolve.
He emerged from detention not bitter, but clearer. He once said that freedom is not given; it is fought for. And that fight became his lifelong purpose.
The Dawn of Multiparty Democracy
In 1992, Kenya reintroduced multiparty politics. For the first time, citizens had a choice. And when the ballots opened, the people of Lang’ata chose Raila Odinga as their Member of Parliament.
He used his seat to champion reforms. He became the voice of those who lived in Kibera, one of Africa’s largest informal settlements. He pushed for better housing, schools, and infrastructure, believing that dignity is a right, not a privilege.
But beyond his constituency, he became a symbol — the embodiment of resistance to oppression and the possibility of change.
The Storms of Leadership
Raila Amolo Odinga’s journey in government was filled with storms and alliances. He served as Minister of Energy, where he worked to expand electricity access and reform the sector. Later, as Minister for Roads, Public Works, and Housing, he pushed infrastructure development to connect rural and urban Kenya.
But history will remember him most for 2007.
The presidential election that year was one of Kenya’s most contested. When results were disputed, violence erupted. More than a thousand lives were lost, and the country teetered on the edge of civil war.
Raila had every reason to reject compromise — but instead, he chose dialogue. His decision to enter a power-sharing deal with President Mwai Kibaki led to the formation of the Grand Coalition Government, during which he served as Prime Minister from 2008 to 2013.
It was during this period that the 2010 Constitution was birthed — a new social contract that redefined power, created devolution, and expanded civil rights.
Love him or not, Kenya would never be the same again after that.
The Man Who Kept Coming Back
Raila Odinga ran for president five times — in 1997, 2007, 2013, 2017, and 2022.
Each time, he stood before the nation with unshaken conviction. Each time, he rallied millions who believed that Kenya could rise above tribal politics and corruption.
And even when he lost, he never abandoned the people who believed in him.
His critics called him stubborn; his supporters called him a freedom fighter. But both were likely true. His resilience was not born of ego; it was born of calling.
He believed deeply that democracy was worth the fight, even if it never crowned him.
Raila Amolo Odinga: The Symbol of Defiance and Hope
In 2018, Raila did what few could imagine — he shook hands with President Uhuru Kenyatta, ending years of political hostility. The famous “Handshake” became both a symbol of reconciliation and a lesson in leadership.
It showed a man who could rise above personal ambition for the sake of peace—a man who understood that healing a country is a form of victory, too.
Even as age caught up with him, Raila continued to speak truth to power — reminding Kenyans that we must constantly protect freedom, justice, and unity.
He never tired of dreaming of a better Kenya, and he never stopped urging others to do the same.
Beyond Politics: The Human Side
Behind the fiery speeches and political rallies was a man of surprising humour and warmth. Those close to him describe a storyteller, a lover of football, reggae, and traditional food.
He was family to his wife, Ida, and their children — a devoted husband and father who often said that politics is temporary but values are forever.
He supported education, arts, and youth empowerment. Even when he lost elections, he invested his time in mentoring younger leaders. To him, leadership was not a title; it was service.
The Imperfect Giant
No great leader escapes controversy, and Raila was no exception. His decisions sometimes divided the country. His alliances shifted, and his words often stirred emotions. But even his critics admitted — he was present. He was engaged. He showed up for Kenya.
He dared to challenge the status quo at a time when doing so meant risking everything. And he did it again and again, because he believed the struggle was bigger than himself.
The Morning After
Now, as Kenya mourns, many of us find ourselves caught in that strange space between grief and gratitude.
I have postponed my morning — the way one pauses at dawn before facing a new reality. Because losing Raila Amolo Odinga is not just the passing of a politician; it is the closing of a chapter in Kenya’s long story of freedom.
Raila’s life reminds us that perfect people do not make history, but committed ones do.
He was brave enough to stand up when silence was easier.
Strong enough to forgive when bitterness was justified.
Yet humble enough to keep fighting even after defeat.
Raila Amolo Odinga is remembered not for the seats he didn’t win, but for the freedom he helped secure.
He was the bridge between generations — from those who fought colonialism to those still fighting for fairness today.
Rest well, Raila Amolo Odinga.
You lived for Kenya. You fought for Kenya. And Kenya will never forget you.
