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Raila Odinga: The indomitable man of many firsts

 


The indomitable scion of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga is a spirit that will dominate Kenya's political scene for ages.

Raila Amolo Odinga became the first Kenyan to be sworn in as the people's president, while there was a substantive president in the name of Uhuru Kenyatta.

In post- ndependence Kenya, he holds the record of being the longest serving political detainee. He was detained for 10 years.

In the multipartism era after quiting Ford Kenya, he resigned from his legislative role to seek a fresh mandate under a new party - the National Development Party (NDP). He was reelected as the MP for Langata, a position he served up to 2013.

Raila Odinga was the first person to serve as an MP alongside his father. He was elected as Langata MP in 1992 while his father Jaramogi Oginga Odinga won the Bondo seat that same year.

Jaramogi was the MP for Bondo until 1994 when he died. He was succeeded by his eldest son Oburu Oginga.

Raila served as Kenya's second prime minister from 2008 to 2013. He held that prestigious seat in a power sharing deal with the then president Mwai Kibaki after the controversial 2007 general election.

The fallen ODM leader tops the list of Kenyans who have contested for presidency several times. He vied and lost 5 times, 4 of which he came second in number of votes.

Raila Odinga is the only politician who never tasted presidency and was accorded a state funeral with full military honours complete with 17-gun salute.

Even in death Raila was powerful as exemplified during his historic sendoff at Bondo.

His funeral was the most chaotic notable event never witnessed in Kenya before, due to the magical crowd that came to bid him farewell.

How Raila won the hearts of 4 presidents who ruled Kenya

The late ODM leader was one of his kind, in the entire nation, having won the sympathy of working with 4 Kenya presidents immediately after losing elections.

Raila worked with Daniel Arap Moi, after losing the 1997 presidential seat. He worked with Mwai Kibaki after the controversial 2007 presidential election.

Later on, he worked with Uhuru Kenyatta after losing the 2017 general elections. Prior to his death, he had sign a 10-agenda pact with William Ruto after failing to clinch presidency.

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