How Oburu Odinga's Politics differs from Raila's

Having interacted with Raila Odinga closely for a considerable period of time, I am compelled to write this critical article on the politics of Oburu Odinga which I believe fundamentally differs from that of Raila Odinga. This, I believe, may eventually save the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and ultimately preserve the legacy of Raila.

For more than three decades, Kenya’s politics revolved around Raila. In that period, Raila dichotomised Kenya’s politics to achieving certain political values and seeking raw power by all means.

However, it must be noted that this dichotomy of the fight for political values versus the attainment of raw political power, by all means, was not invented by Raila. The philosophies and ideologies that guided Raila were as old as the story of the independence of the African states. In fact, the very definition of politics, by David Easton, captured this glaring difference when he defined politics as the authoritative allocation of resources and values.

Take for instance Raila’s father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Kenya's first vice president. Guided by the attainment of higher political values, and not the mere ascension to power, when he was offered a chance to lead Kenya, Jaramogi refused to take the offer noting that ‘there would be no independence without Jomo Kenyatta’. Further south, the actions of Nelson Mandela, who Raila greatly admired, also compare well with what Raila stood for.

Mandela, on April 20, 1964, while still serving his five-year sentence for leaving South Africa without a permit and for inciting people to go on strike in May 1961, gave an illuminating speech during his trial. Mandela, painting the picture of the agony of the of the black South Africans and speaking to the conditions that necessitated the creation of ‘Umkhonto we Sizwe’, Spear of the Nation, noted that he ‘cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities’.

But much more importantly, Mandela noted, during the delivery of this trial speech, that ‘while this was an ideal which he hoped to live for and achieve, if need be, it was an ideal for which he was prepared to die for’. This, we can say, was true, also, of Raila.

While Raila wished to live in a Kenya that was democratic and with incorruptible leaders, he was also ready to die for the very fight of that ideal Kenya. Indeed, the scars and pain borne by Raila are a clear testimony of the ideals he fought for.

Following his death and the consequent appointment of Oburu as the acting party leader of the ODM, there has been a lot of unease among the followers of Raila and a section of members of ODM. Understandable, ODM of today, just like the Kenya of the 1960s with the radicals and the conservatives, remains torn in between continuing the fight for the ideal Kenya that Raila long fought for, or working with the government of the day from within, notwithstanding their political values.

Given the recent media pronouncements by Oburu, on his politics, one can quickly draw a glaring difference between him and his brother, Raila. Nonetheless, I must note that Oburu is a very intelligent and pragmatic man who has played a key role, over the years, in ensuring that the Odinga family doesn’t suffer from the excesses of successive governments.

However, his politics fundamentally differs from that of Raila. In his politics, Raila never wanted raw power, or to be in government, by all means. If this were his wish, I believe he would have served as our president, at some point.

Raila created a movement for change and he embodied it. When he served in government in the grand-coalition, Kenya got a new constitution and, more importantly, devolution. To Raila, the devolved units were key to ensuring that there would be no reemergence of a dominant executive and that no elected leader would ever feel pressured to pledge loyalty to the executive if they ever needed resources for development.

While people form political parties with the sole intention of attaining power, Raila formed the ODM party not to just gain power but to propel significant change in the society whether the party was in power or not. To this end, ODM was not formed to simply attain power. ODM was formed as a political force to push for social justice and democratic growth whether or not the party formed the executive. And this, ladies and gentlemen, was Raila’s magic.

On the other hand, Oburu believes that ODM, just like any other party, was formed to be in power, by all means. According to Oburu, ODM, "will either be in a coalition that forms government, or form government". While this is very pragmatic, it raises a lot of questions about the kind of values that Oburu will breathe into ODM. Will Oburu champion the values that Raila fought so hard for, or will he side with anyone likely to win, notwithstanding their character and the cost of winning the 2027 elections?

I plead with Oburu and those urging him on the path that he has since taken to consider what ODM means for democracy in Kenya and the legacy of Raila.