Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga was a man they would say was loved and hated in equal measure. But honestly, you only hated him if you never had the privilege of engaging him personally. If your image of him was shaped by others, often for political convenience.
The moment you truly experienced Baba, sat with him, listened to him, or worked alongside him, you realized he was not the man his critics described. For the masses, he was a symbol of hope and resilience. For politicians, a partner or rival depending on the moment. But for those who interacted with him closely, he was a profoundly good man, deeply human, humorous, deeply reflective and always driven by conviction and purpose.
Baba had an incredible love for history, all kinds of it. He could tell you about the liberation struggles of African nations, the revolutions of Europe, or the rise and fall of political movements across the world. He would link historical lessons to the challenges of our time, with a clarity that reminded you he was a student of both books and life. In December last year, I sat next to him on a flight from Addis Ababa to Nairobi during the AUC campaign. As I took a short nap, he quietly opened his tablet and began reading about one of the great revolutions that shaped South America in the 1970s. His mind ever curious, always learning and and drawing lessons from history.
And yes! He loved football history too, recalling players and matches with surprising precision.
Then there were his stories. None more gripping than how he fled Kenya in the early 1960s, and using a Tanzanian Passport made his way to East Germany. Each time, he told this story with such humor, suspense, and vivid detail that you could almost see the young Raila, fearless, determined, and outsmarting every obstacle in his path. He would later use a Ugandan passport to flee into exile in Norway in the early 1990s, escaping yet another wave of persecution under the KANU regime.
From those early years, Raila Odinga gave his all to the struggle for democracy. He endured detention, exile, betrayal, and pain, yet remained steadfast. His sacrifices during the fight for multi-party democracy are etched in Kenya’s history. Few have paid such a high price so that we could speak, organize, and vote freely.
Time and again, Baba chose peace over power and anarchy. When Kenya stood on the edge of chaos, he was the one who extended his hand to heal the nation; first to President Mwai Kibaki after the 2007 post-election violence, then to President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2018, and most recently to President William Ruto. These handshakes were not merely acts of political expediency as some might argue based on different persuasions and convictions, but were born out of a deep concern for the country; an effort to save it from descending into turmoil and to preserve Kenya’s identity as a democratic state.
As Minister for Roads, Public Works and Housing, he was uncompromising. Always driven by conviction, not popularity. He made difficult decisions because he believed in doing what was right for the nation. He protected Mau Forest, understanding it was a vital water tower for generations to come. He stood firm when others bowed to pressure, even when it meant political backlash. Under his watch, houses built on road reserves came down, painful as it was so that Kenya could have modern highways and bypasses, including the Thika Superhighway that now defines our landscape. That was Baba! Visionary, bold, and unafraid of doing the unpopular for the greater good.
As Prime Minister, he steered Kenya through reform and renewal, championing the 2010 Constitution, transparency, and the spirit of national healing. He was not just a political leader, he was a reformer with the heart of a teacher and the mind of a builder.
On the continental stage, Raila Odinga embodied the spirit of Pan-Africanism. As the African Union’s High Representative for Infrastructure Development, he passionately… 1/2
The Ruto manifesto;
1. I hike taxes.
2. I extend my term to 7 years.
3. I abduct gen Zs for standing for free speech, development, economy (jobs)
4. I appoint my cronies/tribesmen
5. I rally behind corruption
You are reversing about Gachagua and I am showing exactly what is happening in Kenya.
Stop your funny blogging. More Kenyans are online and they get information quickly. This is not 2022.
You will be beaten down so BADLY!
Mchele ya boss imefika kwa border my guys. TAX FREE
500 million kilogrammes of rice worth over 50 billion kenya shillings tax free.
Biziness legit. 😂😂😂Kenya ni duka ya mtu wallahi.
When rice farmers in Kenya have harvested and need market for their produce. Someone brings in 500 million kilogrammes of rice into the market. Wow.