As Baba is laid to rest today, we can all agree he lived a remarkable life. He made a tremendous impact in Kenya and beyond, inspiring millions. History will be kind to him despite some of his failings and the compromises he made. He was human, after all.
The reason some loved him passionately while others hated him, even in death, is that he stood for something. You can never be loved or hated if you stand for nothing. Raila Amolo Odinga stood for something.
It’s important to note that Uhuru and Ruto, who are crying the loudest today, demonized him the most during his life when they ran against him. They called him a mganga, a madman, and relentlessly vilified him.
During the 2013 and 2017 Kenyan presidential elections, Cambridge Analytica (CA) and BTP Advisers, two British firms specializing in public relations and political strategy, were contracted to manage Uhuru’s and Ruto’s campaigns. Their efforts, characterized by manipulative and divisive tactics, focused on data-driven psychological operations, disinformation, and smear campaigns to undermine Raila’s reputation and sway voters. The firms seeded divisive narratives online, amplifying ethnic tensions to favour Uhuru’s and Ruto’s campaign.
Their messaging exploited fears of instability under Raila’s leadership, stoking tribal divisions and spreading propaganda to secure electoral advantage. These two men, accused of crimes against humanity, murder, and displacement of people, “won” against Raila, a man who spent nine years in jail across multiple detentions under harsh conditions, including solitary confinement, fighting for a better Kenya. They unleashed negative advertisements and online propaganda, spending billions to portray Raila as a devil and to steal elections. Tragically, tens of Raila’s supporters were murdered, and others maimed, by Uhuru’s and Ruto’s regimes after protesting the election outcome. How and why Raila forgave them, only God knows.
In 2022, as we campaigned for Raila with Azimio, we had to keep clarifying that Raila never said or did the evil things Uhuru and Ruto accused him of and that he attended church. Despite our efforts, Raila refused to play the church card because he rejected that level of hypocrisy. He didn’t pretend to be a Christian to garner votes; he practiced his faith quietly and campaigned on issues. The man who pretended to be a Christian has become Githinji, a butcher of children.
The attacks extended to accusing Raila of terrorism after the 2014 Lamu terror attack. If they could have had their way, they might have silenced him permanently, but nobody could touch Baba. However, he was overly surveilled, trailed, and continually betrayed by those he trusted most.
His supporters were treated like trash by those in power. Even after the regrettable deaths and injuries of his supporters at Kasarani and Nyayo Stadium in the past three days, the state has offered no apologies or acknowledgment.
Immediately after Raila died, Ruto signed the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act, 2024, into law on October 15, 2025. Ruto’s regime, which has a habit of abducting and killing young people, wants to start jailing people for memes and TikTok videos. Journalists and whistleblowers can now be accused of cyber harassment and spreading false information and face jail time.
The rights Raila and others fought for are being taken away even before his body is laid to rest. So see beyond Ruto’s crocodile tears and look at his actions. Ruto is coming for us, those who are fighting for a better Kenya, and we better have the courage and fortitude of Raila to defend our country from the emerging dictatorship of Kasongo.
Baba has now joined the ancestors. May he find rest, peace, and joy in the afterlife. May he dance to his favourite tunes with them. Until we meet again, Jakom, Koma thaayû.
To all the Osiem Gi Luth, sasa mjipange, Baba amepumzika!
It is now upon us to fully liberate Kenya and ensure we elect leaders who love Kenyans and serve us with respect and decency. Enda Chukua Kura!
Photo by @collimondi
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