SIAYA, Kenya — Former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, one of Kenya’s most influential and enduring political figures, was on Sunday laid to rest at his ancestral home in Kang’o Ka Jaramogi, Bondo, in a private ceremony attended by close family members and senior government officials.
The 80-year-old opposition leader, who died on Wednesday in Kochi, India, after suffering cardiac arrest while undergoing treatment, was interred beside his father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga — Kenya’s first Vice President and a founding figure in the country’s independence movement.
Earlier, thousands of mourners thronged the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) grounds for a public funeral service marked by tributes to a man widely regarded as the architect of Kenya’s democratic rebirth.
President William Ruto, who led the nation in mourning, had declared a State Funeral and a period of national mourning from Wednesday until Raila’s interment, describing him as “the father of our democracy, a tireless champion for social justice, a renowned Pan-Africanist, and a statesman without equal.”
National flags were flown at half-mast across the country and at Kenya’s diplomatic missions abroad in honour of the veteran politician.
A Political Life That Shaped a Nation
Born on January 7, 1945, in Maseno, Kisumu County, Raila Odinga’s life mirrored the evolution of modern Kenya — from one-party rule to multiparty democracy, from dictatorship to constitutional reform.
Educated in East Germany, where he studied mechanical engineering at the Technical University of Magdeburg, Odinga returned home in the early 1970s to teach at the University of Nairobi before founding East African Spectre, one of Kenya’s first indigenous-owned manufacturing firms.
His political journey began under the authoritarian regime of President Daniel arap Moi. Following the 1982 coup attempt, Raila was detained without trial for nearly a decade — a period that hardened his resolve to fight for freedom and political pluralism.
When Kenya reintroduced multi-party politics in 1991, Odinga emerged as a leading reformist voice, earning the moniker Agwambo — “the mysterious one” — for his resilience and political agility.
From Parliament to the Premiership
First elected as MP for Lang’ata in 1992, Raila served in various ministerial roles, including Energy, Roads, and Housing, where he championed major infrastructure reforms.
His most prominent role came in 2008 when he became Prime Minister in a Grand Coalition government formed after the disputed 2007 election — a power-sharing deal with President Mwai Kibaki that helped restore national stability.
Although he ran for president five times — in 1997, 2007, 2013, 2017, and 2022 — the presidency remained elusive.
Still, his imprint on Kenya’s democratic and constitutional reforms, including the landmark 2010 Constitution, remained indelible.
A Bridge Builder and Pan-Africanist
In 2018, Odinga stunned the nation by shaking hands with his long-time rival, President Uhuru Kenyatta, in what became known as “the Handshake.”
The gesture calmed years of political tension and gave rise to the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), an effort to address Kenya’s deep-rooted divisions.
He later entered into a cooperation pact with President Ruto, signalling yet another chapter in his lifelong commitment to unity and national dialogue.
Beyond Kenya, Raila served as the African Union High Representative for Infrastructure Development, advocating for continental integration through transport and trade networks.
His 2024 bid for the African Union Commission chairmanship reflected his Pan-African ambitions, even though he lost the contest.
The Man Behind the Movement
To millions, he was simply Baba — a father figure who embodied the hopes of a generation that demanded democracy and equality. To others, he was a formidable opponent, unafraid to challenge the political establishment.
He often said: “I have been detained, beaten, vilified, and cheated, but I have never stopped believing in Kenya. One day, justice must prevail.”
Raila is survived by his wife, Ida Odinga, and their children Rosemary, Raila Jr., and Winnie. His firstborn son, Fidel Odinga, died in 2015.
As the sun set over Bondo, the man who fought for Kenya’s second liberation was laid to rest — closing a chapter in the nation’s history, but leaving behind a legacy that will shape generations to come.
