Raila Amolo Odinga’s life is a story of resilience, courage, and unyielding pursuit of justice. Born on January 7, 1945, in Maseno, Kisumu County, Raila grew up under the shadow of his father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga — Kenya’s first Vice President and one of the architects of the country’s independence.
From a young age, Raila’s world was defined by political consciousness and a sense of duty to serve the nation, values that would later shape his journey through some of Kenya’s most turbulent political chapters.
Raila attended Kisumu Union Primary and Maranda High School before moving to Germany, where he studied mechanical engineering at the Technical School of Magdeburg. He later earned a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1970.
While in East Germany, Raila was influenced by the global conversations around social justice, equality, and self-determination — ideals that stayed with him throughout his life. When he returned to Kenya, he worked as a lecturer at the University of Nairobi and later as a senior engineer and deputy director at the Kenya Bureau of Standards.
But Raila’s calling was never meant to be confined to offices or classrooms. The late 1970s and early 1980s were a dark time for democracy in Kenya, as President Daniel Arap Moi ruled with an iron fist. The country was a one-party state, dissent was crushed, and freedom of speech was suppressed. In 1982, after an attempted coup by sections of the Kenya Air Force, Raila was accused of being part of the plot.
Though evidence was never produced, he was arrested and detained without trial for six long years. He spent much of this time in solitary confinement, enduring psychological and physical suffering. Tragically, while he was behind bars, his mother passed away — and he was denied the chance to attend her funeral. That pain and injustice would become a permanent scar and a source of his unbreakable resolve.
When Raila was released in 1988, he immediately resumed his push for multiparty democracy. His activism led to more arrests in 1989 and 1990.
Yet, he refused to bow down. Alongside other reformists like Kenneth Matiba and Charles Rubia, Raila became one of the faces of the pro-democracy movement that finally pressured Moi to allow multiparty politics in 1991. He later fled to Norway for safety but returned in 1992 to continue the struggle.
Raila’s political life is a long tapestry of alliances, betrayals, and victories — both moral and political. He first entered Parliament as MP for Lang’ata in 1992 under the Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (FORD), the party founded by his father.
He would later form the National Development Party (NDP) and, in a surprising move, merged it with Moi’s ruling KANU in 2001, serving briefly as Minister for Energy.
When Moi chose Uhuru Kenyatta as his successor, Raila left KANU in protest, forming the Liberal Democratic Party and later joining the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC), which defeated KANU in the 2002 general election.
That moment marked the end of Moi’s 24-year rule — and Raila was credited as one of the masterminds of the victory.
The partnership between Raila and Mwai Kibaki, however, did not last smoothly. Tensions arose over the 2005 constitutional referendum, which Raila opposed.
His side won, leading to the birth of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). In 2007, he ran for president against Kibaki in one of Kenya’s most disputed elections. When Kibaki was declared winner, violence erupted across the country.
The bloodshed claimed over 1,000 lives and displaced hundreds of thousands. Under international mediation led by Kofi Annan, Raila and Kibaki agreed to share power — and Raila became Kenya’s second Prime Minister in 2008. Despite political friction, his tenure saw major reforms, including the introduction of the 2010 Constitution, which devolved power and transformed governance in Kenya.
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| PHOTO CREDIT: Kenya News Media |
After the 2013 elections, Raila once again contested for the presidency but lost to Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto. He challenged the results, citing irregularities, but the Supreme Court upheld the election.
In 2017, he ran again, and this time, the court nullified the presidential results for the first time in Kenya’s history — a victory for democracy, even though Raila later boycotted the repeat poll. Tensions were high until March 2018, when Raila surprised the nation by shaking hands with President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The “Handshake” calmed political tempers and birthed the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), aimed at uniting the country and addressing issues like inclusivity and corruption. Though the BBI was later halted, the gesture showed Raila’s willingness to sacrifice political ambition for peace.
Throughout his life, Raila has also been a target of both admiration and criticism. His detractors accuse him of being too confrontational or power-hungry, yet even they cannot deny his courage and influence.
He has endured arrests, exile, betrayals, and losses — including multiple disputed elections — but never abandoned the cause of democracy. To his supporters, he is Baba, a symbol of resistance and endurance. To his opponents, he remains a political giant whose presence cannot be ignored.
Beyond politics, Raila’s legacy includes promoting devolution, defending civil liberties, and pushing for better governance.
He has been instrumental in constitutional change, infrastructure development, and peace efforts. He is also a family man, married to Ida Odinga, a respected educator and advocate for women’s rights. Together they have built a family that reflects the same values of service and perseverance.
In recent years, Raila has continued to engage with Kenya’s leadership, including President William Ruto, through dialogue and reform discussions.
Even after decades of public life, he remains an active voice — not defined by titles, but by purpose. He stands as one of Africa’s most resilient statesmen, a man who has been detained, defeated, and yet never broken.
Raila Amolo Odinga’s journey mirrors Kenya’s own: full of trials, triumphs, setbacks, and resilience. He has been called many things — reformer, rebel, visionary, and even enigma — but one truth stands out: he is one of the few leaders whose struggle has consistently been tied to the people’s quest for justice and freedom.
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From the cold prison cells of the Moi era to the podiums of national unity, Raila’s story is a reminder that democracy is not given; it is fought for, over and over again.
Raila’s legacy will endure — not merely in political history books, but in the spirit of every Kenyan who dares to speak against injustice.
His life remains a living tribute to the idea that no matter how many times you are defeated, true victory lies in never giving up the fight for a better nation.
