Raila was champion of democracy and African statesman
Opinion
By
Duop Chak Wuol
| Oct 20, 2025
President William Ruto and Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga pay last respects to the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University, on October 19, 2025. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]
Kenya and indeed Africa have lost one of their most consequential political figures, Raila Amolo Odinga, who passed away on October 15, 2025, in India. Having devoted his life to political struggle and nation-building, Raila emerged as a champion of democracy, a peacemaker, and a statesman whose vision reshaped Kenya’s political landscape and influenced Africa as a whole. From surviving imprisonment to guiding landmark constitutional reforms, mediating regional conflicts, and promoting dialogue over division, Raila’s life embodied resilience, principle, and a steadfast commitment to justice.
Following a failed coup in 1982, he was imprisoned without trial for six years. Undeterred, he emerged to play a pivotal role in restoring multiparty democracy in 1991—a milestone that reshaped Kenya’s political trajectory. This resilience would define his decades-long pursuit of Kenya’s highest office.
Raila ran for president five times between 1997 and 2022, with each campaign leaving a profound mark on Kenya’s democratic institutions. The disputed 2007 election, which sparked widespread violence, tested the nation’s political maturity. Raila’s willingness to compromise led to the historic 2008 power-sharing agreement and his tenure as Prime Minister. During this period, he championed the 2010 Constitution, enshrining devolution, judicial independence, and strengthened human rights protections—a legacy that remains one of Africa’s most progressive legal frameworks.
Raila’s domestic achievements and steadfast principles soon earned him respect across Africa. He mediated conflicts and championed constitutionalism throughout the continent. His 2024 bid for the African Union Commission underscored his stature as a moral authority, forged through decades of principled struggle. Even in his later years, he remained deeply engaged in peacebuilding. Appointed by President William Ruto as Kenya’s special envoy to South Sudan, Raila’s mission was to defuse escalating tensions following the house arrest of opposition leader, Dr Riek Machar, in March 2025. He worked tirelessly to foster dialogue and promote a peaceful resolution.
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Raila’s legacy was marked by both principle and pragmatism. Though the March 2018 ‘Handshake’ with President Uhuru Kenyatta divided opinion, it ultimately reflected his conviction that dialogue is essential to peace and stability. He also helped institutionalise legal accountability, exemplified by the 2017 Supreme Court ruling nullifying a presidential election—an unprecedented moment in African jurisprudence. Affectionately known as “Baba” by Kenyans, Raila leaves behind a Kenya profoundly transformed—more democratic, inclusive, and accountable. Though his life was not without controversy, it reflected Africa’s timeless struggle to balance principle with pragmatism, and personal ambition with the greater national interest.
Raila Odinga may have left this world, but his spirit will never fade. To Kenyans, he was more than a leader—he was Baba, a father figure whose courage and steadfast commitment to justice gave hope to generations who dared to dream of a freer, fairer nation. To Africa, he was a statesman whose moral authority and tireless mediation reminded the continent that dialogue and principle can triumph over division and strife.
Mr Duop is an analyst, critical writer, and former editor-in-chief of South Sudan News Agency