Kenya bid farewell to one of its most influential political figures, Raila Amolo Odinga, who passed away on October 15, 2025, in India. His burial ceremony in Bondo on October 19 was marked by solemn military honours and a profound sense of loss.

Under a scorching Bondo sky, the Odinga family gathered at Kang’o ka Jaramogi, the historic homestead of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, to lay their patriarch to rest with ancestral dignity.

President William Ruto ordered a State funeral for Odinga, an honour that drew thousands of mourners and led to emotional scenes across the nation. Crowds broke through security barriers at airports and homes, forcing a change of viewing venue from Parliament to Kasarani.

Raila Odinga, known for his 80 years of drama, had requested to be buried within 72 hours; a decision that surprised many expecting extended national mourning.

He was hailed as a shujaa, a hero who nurtured leaders, inspired generations, and endured immense pain, detention, and loss in his tireless quest for democracy and reform.

For the first 50 years of his life, Raila lived under the formidable shadow of his father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Kenya’s first vice president.

His own political journey began with the failed 1982 coup attempt, which led to his imprisonment without trial for six years; a turning point that hardened his resolve.

In 1991, amid political turbulence, he was forced into exile in Norway after his pro-democracy activism sparked diplomatic tension involving the Norwegian Embassy.

After Jaramogi’s death in 1994, Raila began to define his independence, leaving FORD-Kenya and reclaiming the Lang’ata seat in 1995 under the National Development Party banner.

Between 1997 and 2022, Odinga ran for president five times, each campaign marked by intense strategy, alliances, and dramatic political reinventions.

His declaration of “Kibaki Tosha” in 2002 transformed the election, helping Mwai Kibaki win the presidency and earning Raila national acclaim as a kingmaker.

Tensions resurfaced at the 2005 constitutional review led by Yash Pal Ghai, where Raila and Kibaki clashed over the powers of a proposed prime minister.

Following the failed 2005 referendum, Raila’s camp transformed the Orange symbol into the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), cementing his role as opposition leader.

The disputed 2007 election ushered in post-election violence and led to a nusu mkate (power-sharing) government, where Raila became Kenya’s first Prime Minister under the Grand Coalition Government.

That coalition produced the landmark 2010 Constitution, enshrining devolution, judicial independence, and human-rights protections that reshaped Kenya’s governance.

Though he lost presidential races in 2013 and 2017, Raila’s political resilience shone through, culminating in the historic 2018 Handshake with then-President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The handshake altered Kenya’s political landscape, easing ethnic tensions and stabilizing Uhuru’s administration, even as it divided opposition ranks.

Beyond national politics, Raila became a respected statesman across Africa, mediating conflicts, advocating democracy, and championing regional integration.

In 2024, his bid for the African Union Commission chairmanship underscored his continental stature as a moral authority.

Appointed by President Ruto in 2025 as Kenya’s special envoy to South Sudan, Raila continued to mediate peace efforts and promote dialogue until his final months.

Affectionately known as “Baba”, Raila Odinga leaves behind a profoundly transformed Kenya, more democratic, inclusive, and institutionally accountable.

His enduring legacy lies in his courage, reform spirit, and relentless pursuit of justice, inspiring generations across Africa.