Born: 7 January 1945, Maseno, Kenya
Died: 15 October 2025, Kerala, India (aged 80)
Raila Amolo Odinga, popularly known as Baba or Agwambo, was one of Kenya’s most influential and enduring political figures. A mechanical engineer by training, businessman, and five-time presidential candidate, he served as Prime Minister of Kenya from 2008 to 2013 and played a central role in the country’s struggle for multiparty democracy and constitutional reform.
Early Life and Education
Raila was born at the Anglican Church Missionary Society Hospital in Maseno, Kisumu District (then Nyanza Province). He was the son of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Kenya’s first Vice President after independence, and Mary Ajuma Odinga. He belonged to the Luo ethnic community and grew up in a politically prominent family deeply involved in Kenya’s independence struggle.
He attended Kisumu Union Primary School, Maranda Primary School in Bondo, and Maranda High School. In 1962, at the age of 17, his father sent him to East Germany for further studies. He first studied German language and culture at the Herder Institute in Leipzig (University of Leipzig). In 1965 he received a scholarship to the Technische Hochschule Magdeburg (now part of Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg), where he graduated in 1970 with a Master’s degree (Diplom) in Mechanical Engineering, specialising in welding.
Professional Career
Upon returning to Kenya in 1970, Raila briefly worked as an assistant lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Nairobi (1970–1974). In 1971 he founded Standard Processing Equipment Construction & Erection Ltd (later renamed East African Spectre), Kenya’s first and only company manufacturing liquid petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders.
In 1974 he joined the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), rising to Group Standards Manager and later Deputy Director (1978–1982).
Detention and the Fight for Multiparty Democracy
Raila became politically active in the late 1970s, criticising the one-party rule of President Daniel arap Moi. Following the failed 1982 coup attempt by junior Kenya Air Force officers, he was arrested and charged with treason. He was detained without trial for six years (1982–1988), much of it in solitary confinement, making him one of Kenya’s longest-serving political prisoners.
After his release he continued campaigning for multiparty democracy and was rearrested several times. In 1991, facing threats to his life, he briefly sought refuge in Norway before returning to Kenya.
Entry into Electoral Politics
In 1992, following the restoration of multiparty politics, Raila was elected Member of Parliament for Lang’ata Constituency in Nairobi under the Forum for the Restoration of Democracy–Kenya (FORD-Kenya), the party led by his father. He held the seat until 2013.
After Jaramogi’s death in 1994, internal party struggles led Raila to leave FORD-Kenya in 1996 and form the National Development Party (NDP). He contested the presidency for the first time in 1997, finishing third behind Daniel arap Moi and Mwai Kibaki.
Shifting Alliances and Rise to National Prominence
In a surprising move, Raila merged NDP with the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) in 2001 and was appointed Minister for Energy (2001–2002). He later became KANU Secretary-General. When President Moi chose Uhuru Kenyatta as his successor in 2002, Raila rebelled, leading a breakaway group that formed the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and joined the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC).
His famous declaration “Kibaki Tosha!” (Kibaki is enough) helped unite the opposition and sweep Mwai Kibaki to power in the 2002 elections, ending KANU’s nearly 40-year dominance. Raila served as Minister for Roads, Public Works and Housing (2003–2005).
In 2005 he led the successful “Orange” campaign against the government-backed draft constitution, which was defeated in a referendum. This led to the formation of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
The 2007 Election Crisis and Premiership
Raila contested the 2007 presidential election as the ODM candidate. The disputed results, which declared incumbent Mwai Kibaki the winner, triggered widespread post-election violence that claimed more than 1,200 lives and displaced hundreds of thousands.
International mediation led by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan resulted in the National Accord of 2008. Raila became Prime Minister in a power-sharing grand coalition government with Kibaki, serving from April 2008 to April 2013. During this period Kenya enacted the progressive 2010 Constitution, which introduced devolution, a stronger bill of rights, and major institutional reforms — widely regarded as one of his most significant legacies.
Later Presidential Bids and Opposition Leadership
Raila ran for president three more times:
2013 – Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) – runner-up to Uhuru Kenyatta
2017 – National Super Alliance (NASA) – runner-up; the Supreme Court nullified the first election, but he lost the fresh poll
2022 – Azimio la Umoja–One Kenya Coalition – runner-up to William Ruto (with Martha Karua as running mate, the first time a major presidential candidate chose a female deputy)
He remained the dominant opposition figure and leader of ODM until his death. In his final years he entered a political cooperation arrangement with President Ruto’s administration.
Personal Life
Raila married Ida Anyango Oyoo (Mama Ida) in 1971/1973. They had four children: Fidel (1973–2015), Rosemary, Raila Junior, and Winnie (elected to the East African Legislative Assembly). The family maintained homes in Karen, Nairobi, and at the family farm in Bondo, Siaya County.
Death and Legacy
Raila Odinga died on 15 October 2025 after collapsing during a morning walk while receiving medical treatment in Kerala, India. He suffered a cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead at Devamatha Hospital. President William Ruto declared seven days of national mourning and accorded him a state funeral. He was buried at Kang’o Ka Jaramogi in Bondo.
Known for his resilience, political agility, and ability to mobilise large crowds, Raila Odinga never became president but profoundly shaped modern Kenya. He is remembered as a champion of multiparty democracy, a key architect of the 2010 Constitution, and a central figure in the country’s long struggle for political inclusion and reform.
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