Raila Odinga: A Champion of Democracy, Undone by Tribalism

Raila Odinga was a pivotal public figure in Kenya, who spent decades fighting against tribalism. His life and career were a testament to the brutal logic of winner-take-all politics that characterized Africa. As a leader, he confronted the insidious discrimination against a person's origins, which might have looked less obvious than flat-out racism but was just as insidious. Odinga was a Luo, one of Kenya's biggest ethnic groups, and many people believe that his ethnicity cost him the presidency. Despite his efforts to bridge the divide, he remained a symbol of a dream betrayed.

Key Takeaways:

• Raila Odinga was a champion of democracy in Kenya, who spent decades fighting against tribalism and advocating for a peaceful transfer of power.
• He was a Luo, one of Kenya's biggest ethnic groups, and his ethnicity was often cited as a factor in his failure to become president.
• Odinga was a pioneer of coalition politics, building a multi-ethnic coalition that made him a formidable candidate in the 2007 election.
• He was a victim of election rigging, which resulted in widespread chaos and violence, and ultimately led to his appointment as Prime Minister under a compromise agreement.
• Despite his efforts to bridge the divide, Odinga remained a symbol of a dream betrayed, and his death at 80 has sparked widespread mourning in Kenya.
• The article highlights the need for African countries to move beyond tribalism and adopt more inclusive and democratic practices.
• Raila Odinga's legacy includes his commitment to challenging executive overreach and speaking up for minorities, often as a lone voice of dissent.

Statistics:

• Over 1,000 people were killed in post-election violence in Kenya in 2007.
• Raila Odinga won the presidential election in 2007, but this was later reversed due to election rigging.
• Kenya has a deeply ingrained system of tribalism, which has been exacerbated by colonialism.
• The Luo people are one of Kenya's biggest ethnic groups, making up around 13% of the population.
• Lupita Nyong'o, a famous Kenyan actor, is a Luo, as is Barack Obama Sr., the father of the former US President.
• Raila Odinga was jailed and badly beaten in the 1980s for his resistance against Kenya's dictatorship.

Sources:

• The article cites an interview with Susanne Mueller, a researcher at Boston University's African Studies Center.
• The article also cites the author's own experiences as a correspondent in East Africa in the mid 2000s.