Raila Amolo Odinga (1945–2025) was a Kenyan politician, engineer, and long-serving opposition leader who played a central and often controversial role in shaping Kenya’s political and democratic landscape. The son of Kenya’s first Vice President, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, he was a key figure in the “Second Liberation” struggle for multi-party democracy and served as the nation’s Prime Minister from 2008 to 2013.
Key Biographical Information
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Raila Amolo Odinga |
| Born | January 7, 1945, Maseno, Kenya |
| Died | October 15, 2025 (aged 80), Kerala, India |
| Political Party | Orange Democratic Movement (ODM); Azimio la Umoja Coalition |
| Key Titles | Prime Minister of Kenya (2008–2013); MP for Lang’ata (1992–2013) |
| Education | M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Magdeburg (East Germany) |
| Nickname | “Baba” (Father), “Agwambo” (The Mysterious One) |
Early Life, Detention, and Political Awakening
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Political Heritage: Odinga was born into a political aristocracy; his father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, was a leading figure in the independence struggle and the first Vice President of Kenya. This lineage immersed Raila in politics from a young age.
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Engineering and Business: He studied mechanical engineering in East Germany, graduating in 1970. Upon returning to Kenya, he worked at the University of Nairobi and later attained the position of Deputy Director at the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KeBS). He also founded a manufacturing company, East African Spectre, Ltd.
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Detention without Trial: In 1982, following a failed military coup attempt against President Daniel arap Moi, Odinga was arrested and charged with treason. Though the charge was later dropped, he was subsequently detained without trial for a total of nine years across three periods in the 1980s and early 1990s for his pro-democracy activism.
From Opposition to Power-Sharing
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Second Liberation: Following his release and return from a brief exile in Norway, Odinga became a central voice in the push for multi-party democracy in the early 1990s. He was elected Member of Parliament for Lang’ata in 1992.
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Political Maneuvers: Odinga developed a reputation as a master strategist, known for his ability to form both surprising alliances and lead disruptive opposition. This was exemplified when he briefly merged his NDP party with the ruling KANU party in 2001, serving as Minister of Energy.
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The Rainbow Coalition (2002): Odinga led a mass exodus from KANU when President Moi endorsed Uhuru Kenyatta as his successor. He became a leader in the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC), which successfully defeated KANU in the 2002 election, leading to his appointment as Minister of Roads, Public Works, and Housing under President Mwai Kibaki.
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The 2007 Crisis and Prime Ministership: The disputed 2007 presidential election, where Odinga lost to Kibaki amid allegations of fraud, led to widespread post-election violence. The crisis was resolved through a peace deal mediated by Kofi Annan, resulting in a power-sharing agreement that created the post of Prime Minister, which Odinga held from 2008 to 2013.
Post-Premiership and Enduring Opposition
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Five Presidential Bids: Odinga ran for the presidency five times (1997, 2007, 2013, 2017, and 2022), failing to win the highest office, though he consistently maintained that the results were fraudulent. He challenged the 2017 results, leading the Supreme Court to nullify the election—a historic first in Africa. He also pledged to respect the Supreme Court’s ruling following his loss to William Ruto in 2022.
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The “Handshake” (2018): In a move that shocked the nation, Odinga reconciled with his rival, President Uhuru Kenyatta, in the “Building Bridges Initiative (BBI)” aimed at national unity and constitutional reform, though the initiative ultimately failed to pass.
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AU Ambition: Odinga served as the African Union (AU) High Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa (2018–2023) and was an influential candidate for the position of Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) in 2024, an election he was defeated in.
Raila Odinga’s life was an epic political saga, earning him the title of the “do-or-die” reformer who relentlessly fought for devolution of power, democratic reform, and social justice in Kenya.