At dawn on 15th October 2025, the sun cast its early rays across streets, forests, rivers, lakes, rocks, towns, cities, and smiles of Kenyans. The streets echoed with the familiar sounds of life, with conversations, laughter, and the vivid hustle of people moving in every direction. The youth chased their ambitions in every corner, hustling tirelessly, their eyes shining with the promise of tomorrow. Children, bright-eyed and eager, hurried to school, their small footsteps echoing the rhythm of a nation striving for progress. The shape of life seemed the same that bright morning over the valleys, savanna plains, forests and rock mountains across the 47 counties of Kenya. Yet it felt so different – at least for now, at least for many. A precious ornament forever missing; a father, mentor, leader gone – the fallen King, the tireless thinker.
A man with many names…each echoing a chapter of his remarkable journey. Baba, the Father, whose guiding presence nurtured aspirations across the nation; Agwambo, the Mysterious, shrouded in intrigue and unpredictability, constantly challenging perceptions; Tinga, the Tractor, tirelessly plowing through political landscapes, forging pathways for change; Jakom, the Chairman, the steadfast leader who commanded respect and authority; the Enigma of Kenya’s politics, and the People’s President, a title earned not just by election but by conviction, after boycotting the 2018 presidential poll to stand firm for justice and integrity. Each name, a badge of honor, a testament to his enduring legacy.
Kenya’s former Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga is gone, yet he remains. He died of heart attack while receiving treatment in India. His memory remains alive, softly whispering in the corners of the land, echoing in the actions of the countless mourners. For some, a fervent cry from the heart; for others, memories on calls for justice, tolerance, and compassion. A melody of unity, summary of dreams, and focus of clear aims. Kenyans celebrate a life well-lived, a life humbly accessible to all and selflessly dedicated to the common good. Raila Odinga was a hero who endured the storms of life and rose above society, lighting a path for others to follow. He knew, perhaps better than anyone else, the sacred principle of boldly speaking out against injustice and oppression, he liberated the people of Kenya. Raila’s speeches, writings, and slogans served as catalysts for the great movements of our times, inspiring the weak to overpower the mighty and giving birth to the hope of a better tomorrow. He possessed the rare ability to paint a shared vision of a better tomorrow with his actions, words, and through his speeches he echoed the hopes of all who dared to dream.
Some of Odinga’s decisions may be questioned, methods debated, results weighed, but those who laboured at great cost with tomorrow in their sights deserve some regard. His push for constitutional reforms, social justice, and devolution generated opposition, labelled the ‘enemy of the state’, a ‘self-proclaimed champion for change’ with ‘an insatiable appetite for power’. As the father of democracy he always took the bold step, even down the harshest path, ‘Beyond this I have no other choice’, he had said. ‘I cannot turn back…. Those who wish to derail Kenya from the path of peace, democracy, national healing and national unity should know that they will not succeed’.
At a time when ghostly silence and overwhelming sadness surrounded the story of this legendary man who is said to have had nine lives, Kenyans continue to mourn in distinct ways. For Kenyans, and indeed the world, a bright star has darkened the skies. Yet his legacy brings forth stories of hope, captured in seeds deposited in the ground by one who planted a future for a nation and continent at the mercy of self-centered ambition.
The departure of this giant provides an opportune moment for introspection on how Kenyans can continue to evolve, carrying forward his spirit of pragmatic innovation and resilience.
The King is dead. Long live the King, and long live the progressive ideals you championed!
Like him or not, Raila will always be fondly remembered for his contribution in defending and protecting voter’s rights in Africa.
Kenya is the most democratic nation in African Continent making Nyerere even Mandela look pathetic.
Raila is and will always be the African Giant of multiparty democracy.
He has inspired many nations particularly Tanzania where a fight for pluralism has hit an iceberg but we have an icebreaker