Raila Odinga was Kenya’s Prime Minister from 2008 to 2013, he is a member of the Orange Democratic Party, and the leader of opposition in Kenya.
In this article, we will be talking about Raila Odinga’s biography, positions he has held as a politician, his family amongst other things.
Raila Odinga’s Biography
Odinga is a Kenyan politician who was the prime minister of Kenya from 2008 to 2013. His father is Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, the first vice president of independent Kenya. He has run for president of Kenya five times, but has never won. He is currently the leader of Azimio la Umoja–One Kenya Coalition Party.
Born on January 7, 1945, in Maseno, Kenya Colony, Raila Odinga studied mechanical engineering in East Germany and later became a lecturer at the University of Nairobi. Odinga was imprisoned for six years in the 1980s for his involvement in the pro-democracy movement. In 1992, he returned to politics and joined various parties and coalitions over the years. He is known for his advocacy for constitutional reforms, devolution of power, and anti-corruption campaigns.
Raila Odinga’s Wife, Children and Family
He is married to Ida Odinga and has four children, including Rosemary Odinga, who is also a politician.
Ida Odinga is a Kenyan businesswoman, activist, and educator. They have four children: Fidel, Rosemary, Raila Jr, and Winnie. Fidel, who was named after Fidel Castro, passed away in 2015. Rosemary and Raila Jr are both involved in politics, while Winnie is a media personality and activist.
He is a member of the Luo ethnic group and a devout Anglican.
Raila Odinga’s Career and Political Activity
Raila Odinga is a prominent Kenyan politician who has been involved in the country’s politics for decades. He has served as the prime minister of Kenya as well as various ministerial positions and parliamentary seats. He has also run for president of Kenya five times, but has never won. He is currently the leader of Azimio la Umoja–One Kenya Coalition Party, a new political alliance formed ahead of the 2024 general elections.
Some of the highlights of his career and political activity are:
– In 1982, he was accused of plotting a coup against President Daniel arap Moi and was imprisoned without trial for six years.
– In 1992, he was elected as the MP for Langata Constituency and joined the Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (FORD), a coalition of opposition parties. He later split from FORD and formed the National Development Party (NDP).
– In 1997, he ran for president for the first time under the NDP banner and came third. He later joined forces with Moi and the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) and became the Minister of Energy in 2001.
– In 2002, he defected from KANU and joined the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC), a broad alliance of opposition parties that supported Mwai Kibaki for president. He played a key role in Kibaki’s victory and was appointed as the Minister of Roads, Public Works, and Housing.
– In 2005, he led the campaign against a proposed new constitution that would have given more powers to the president. He and his allies adopted the symbol of an orange to represent their opposition, giving rise to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
– In 2007, he ran for president again as the ODM candidate and claimed to have won the election, but the official results gave Kibaki a narrow victory. The disputed outcome sparked violent protests and ethnic clashes that killed more than 1,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.
– In 2008, he signed a power-sharing agreement with Kibaki that ended the crisis and created the position of prime minister for him. He served as the prime minister until 2013, when a new constitution abolished the post.
– In 2013, he ran for president for the third time as the leader of the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD), a coalition of opposition parties. He lost to Uhuru Kenyatta, the son of Kenya’s first president, Jomo Kenyatta. He challenged the results in the Supreme Court, but his petition was dismissed.
– In 2017, he ran for president for the fourth time as the leader of the National Super Alliance (NASA), another coalition of opposition parties. He again lost to Kenyatta, but this time he successfully petitioned the Supreme Court to nullify the election on grounds of irregularities. A fresh election was ordered, but he boycotted it, citing lack of reforms. Kenyatta won the rerun with a low turnout.
– In 2018, he surprised many by reconciling with Kenyatta and agreeing to work together for national unity and development. The two leaders launched the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), a process of constitutional and institutional reforms aimed at addressing the root causes of Kenya’s political and social problems.
– In 2022, he ran for president for the fifth time as the leader of Azimio la Umoja–One Kenya Coalition, a new political alliance that emerged from the BBI process. He faced William Ruto, the deputy president and former ally of Kenyatta, who opposed the BBI reforms. He lost to Ruto by a slim margin and filed a petition at the Supreme Court, which is still pending.
Raila Odinga’s Bid for African Union Chairmanship
Raila Odinga made his bid to contest for the African Union Commission chairmanship. Raila Odinga is a Kenyan politician who has declared his interest in the AU topmost job on February 15, 2024. He is hoping to replace Moussa Faki of Chad, who has been the AUC chairperson since 2017. The election is expected to take place in July 2024.
Raila Odinga’s candidature for the AU post has been endorsed by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who said he believes Raila is the right person to take over the mantle. He also said it is the right time for a person from Eastern Africa to head the AU Commission.
