Those who seek Raila's political mantle must carry his burden

“A wise ruler ought never to keep faith when by doing so it would be against his interests,” wrote Niccolò Machiavelli. Though controversial, Raila Odinga’s shifting alliances, which were often dismissed as betrayals, echo this principle. It means whoever wants to fit in Raila’s political shoes must learn his manoeuvres and do better than him.

His ability to navigate Kenya’s turbulent political waters and remain an insider in every regime since the 1997 elections has long defied easy explanation.  

But Baba mastered a rare political art of being the government’s fiercest critic while remaining its most indispensable insider.

In doing so, he embodied a paradox that few politicians survive—the ability to oppose power without being exiled from it, and to wield influence without always holding office. His political journey, marked by calculated compromise and principled defiance, reflects not inconsistency but a deep understanding of Kenya’s shifting political terrain.

From his presidential debut in 1997, Raila carved out an inconsistent role. It was said that he was loved and loathed in equal measure. To his critics, he was an opportunist who traded opposition for influence. But to those who occupied State House after President Moi, Raila’s importance only became apparent once they held power themselves.

President Mwai Kibaki, for instance, sought to cast Raila into political oblivion after the botched 2005 referendum and the contentious 2007 elections. The so-called “Kikuyu mafia”, a semblance of the GEMA elite from the 1970s who once tried to block Moi’s rise, believed they could finish Raila politically. They underestimated him.

To their astonishment, Raila emerged stronger, co-leading the country in a coalition government from 2008 to 2013. That government, born out of the ashes of post-election violence, was not just a power-sharing deal but also a national necessity. Yet even then, many dismissed Raila as someone who rode on the blood of Kenyans to negotiate power.

After 2013, it seemed Raila’s political star had dimmed. But State House could only keep him out for five years. By the time the 2017 elections came around, the establishment was once again hankering for him. Within months of the vote, Raila was back through the famous handshake with President Uhuru Kenyatta.

That handshake marked the beginning of William Ruto’s political troubles. Ruto, then Deputy President, vowed to send Raila “to Bondo.” He castigated Uhuru for embracing Raila and hurled epithets like “Mzee wa Kitendawili,” “Mtu wa Waganga,” and “mchawi.” Yet, in a twist of fate, Ruto himself would later extend an olive branch to the man he once vilified.

What can we say? Raila’s political genius lay in his duality. He opposed every regime, yet was always ready to join hands for the sake of the country. He wasn’t just a critic. He was a builder. He kept regimes in check while contributing to national progress. This is not always a mean feat, but it is what made him a statesman.

Isn’t that what the Opposition should be? Not just resistance for its own sake, but a readiness to fix what can be fixed from within, and to challenge what must be challenged from without. Raila embodied this doctrine. When duty called, he stepped in. When conscience demanded, he stepped out.

To inherit Raila’s mantle will cost enduring the contradictions, the betrayals, the vilification, and still choose country over self. It is to understand that the Opposition is not a posture, but a responsibility.

Political philosopher Edmund Burke once said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

Raila always chose to do something. Whether in the streets or the corridors of power, he acted. And in doing so, he redefined what it means to be in the Opposition.

Although we never truly understood Raila’s political doctrine until he left us, it is clear that whoever dares to inherit his legacy must be ready to bear the weight of his cross.

Dr Ndonye is Dean of Kabarak University’s School of Music and Media