The Shock in Nairobi CITY: What THE DEATH OF Raila Odinga Means for Kenya

By Elite Daily News Live Staff Writer – Nairobi, Kenya | October 16, 2025

RIP Raila 

When I landed in Nairobi on Monday afternoon, the city throbbed with its familiar energy—lively, colorful, and full of motion.
At Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), travelers bustled through the terminals, the air thick with anticipation for the three-day international conference that had drawn people from across Africa.

Outside the terminal, Nairobi’s notorious traffic jams quickly made their presence felt. My taxi driver, clearly a veteran of the city’s gridlock, pointed ahead with a knowing grin.
“We’ll take the Expressway,” he said confidently, steering toward the elevated route that now defines much of the capital’s skyline.

The Nairobi Expressway, a double-decker masterpiece, offered a fast, seamless ride above the chaos below. With a modest toll, we glided past motionless traffic and reached downtown in record time.

For the next two days, the city pulsed with its normal rhythm—political banter, street vendors calling out, office workers rushing through the day. There was no sign of what was to come.

Wednesday: The Day Everything Changed

By Wednesday morning, the atmosphere had shifted.
As I entered the conference hall, the usual cheerfulness among my Kenyan colleagues had vanished. The hall was quiet, heavy with unease. Then came the devastating announcement that stunned the nation—Raila Odinga was dead.

The veteran opposition leader and one of Kenya’s most influential statesmen had passed away in India, where he was receiving medical treatment. Reports indicated that he had suffered a cardiac arrest during a morning walk.

Within hours, the heartbreaking news spread across the country, plunging Kenya into mourning.
President William Ruto declared a seven-day national mourning period, honoring Odinga as a statesman, reformist, and unyielding champion of democracy.

Later that day, I spoke with political observers and veteran journalists. Their verdict was unanimous: Kenya’s political landscape will never be the same again.

The End of a Political Era

For decades, Kenya’s political scene was defined by the historic rivalry between Raila Odinga and the Kenyatta family—a saga that stretched back to the nation’s founding fathers.
Raila’s father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, served as Kenya’s first vice president under Jomo Kenyatta, the nation’s founding president. Their ideological split in the 1960s set the stage for a multi-generational political feud that has now come to its natural end.

With Raila’s passing, that long-running rivalry has finally reached its conclusion—closing a defining chapter in the nation’s political story.

ODM Without Its Captain

Odinga’s death has left a significant void within his party, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). Analysts warn that the organization now faces an uncertain future without its founding leader and guiding voice.

Throughout his career, Raila resisted naming a clear successor. Despite his efforts to expand ODM’s leadership beyond ethnic lines, the party’s strongest base remains within his Luo community.
This makes the question of succession particularly sensitive.

Some ODM officials from the Luhya and Coastal regions are considered too politically weak to consolidate national support. Within the Odinga family, no successor of equal stature has yet emerged.
As a result, the movement stands at a crossroads—struggling to define its next chapter without the man who built it.

Ruto Faces a Changed Political Terrain

For President William Ruto, Odinga’s death has dramatically reshaped Kenya’s political equation.
In recent months, Ruto had maintained cautious communication with his long-time rival in an effort to preserve peace and dialogue amid national tension.

Now, with Odinga gone, Ruto finds himself in uncharted territory. His most powerful political opponent—and the one figure capable of calming large-scale protests—is no longer there.

While Odinga’s absence could strengthen Ruto’s control over the political landscape, it also removes a vital stabilizing force from Kenya’s often turbulent democracy.
Observers warn that the growing Gen-Z activist movement, which has recently led nationwide demonstrations, could fill the vacuum left by Odinga’s death—potentially driving new waves of radical political change.

A Country in Mourning

After the conference ended that Wednesday evening, two colleagues from Uganda and Tanzania joined me for a quiet walk through downtown Nairobi.
Everywhere we looked, the grief was visible.

Green branches—symbols of mourning and respect in Luo culture—fluttered from cars, buses, and motorbikes across the city. From matatus to private vehicles, each twig represented a silent tribute to the man millions affectionately called “Baba.”

The mood was somber yet dignified. Conversations were hushed, faces solemn. Kenya was mourning not only a leader but also a symbol of endurance, courage, and reform.

The Legacy Lives On

Raila Odinga’s passing marks the end of a monumental era in Kenyan politics.
His life embodied the struggle for democracy, justice, and reform—from years spent in political detention to his relentless pursuit of fair governance.

As the nation lays him to rest, Kenya stands at a pivotal moment.
A future without Odinga will test the resilience of its democracy and the unity of its people. But even in death, his legacy continues to inspire generations determined to build a freer, fairer nation.

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