{"id":123123,"date":"2025-10-15T10:09:34","date_gmt":"2025-10-15T10:09:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/index.php\/2025\/10\/15\/from-fierce-opponents-to-handshake-brothers-uhuru-remembers-raila\/"},"modified":"2025-10-15T10:09:34","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T10:09:34","slug":"from-fierce-opponents-to-handshake-brothers-uhuru-remembers-raila","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/from-fierce-opponents-to-handshake-brothers-uhuru-remembers-raila\/","title":{"rendered":"From fierce opponents to handshake brothers: Uhuru remembers Raila"},"content":{"rendered":"

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 15 \u2013 Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has remembered former Prime Minister the late Raila Odinga as a fierce opponent who later become his \u2018handshake\u2019 brother.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In a statement, he pointed out that Odinga was \u201cmore than a political colleague, he was a defining part of my own journey, in public service and in life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRaila and I were navigators on opposing currents, charting different courses for the nation we both loved. At some point along that journey, we became political opponents and often, the weight of that competition felt immense,\u201d he stated. <\/p>\n

He recalled that Baba, as he was fondly referred to was a man who made him sharpen his own ideas, compelling him to defend his positions with rigor and passion. <\/p>\n

He explained that later on, a different bond was forged, one of respect, of shared patriotism, and a common desire to see a united Kenya. <\/p>\n

\u201cThat journey from fierce political opponents to partners in the pursuit of \u201cHandshake\u201d unity taught me the true measure of the man. I saw firsthand his unwavering passion for this country, his deep-seated belief in justice, and his incredible capacity to think beyond personal ambition for the sake of national peace,\u201d he stated. <\/p>\n

He stated that despite hm being a formidable opponent, he was an even more invaluable ally in the cause of reconciliation. <\/p>\n

\u201cI have lost a friend and a brother. I will miss our conversations sometimes challenging, always insightful and the fire of belief that never left his eyes,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo Mama Ida, the children, and the entire Odinga family, I extend my deepest, most heartfelt condolences. You have shared Baba with Kenya for a lifetime, and we mourn with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Odinga died on Wednesday following weeks of rumours on his health, ending a political chapter that spanned more than four decades and defined Kenya\u2019s multi-party era.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He died at the age of 80 while undergoing treatment in India, and was a towering figure in the country\u2019s democratic journey \u2014 admired and contested in equal measure for his resilience, reformist zeal, and five spirited but unsuccessful bids for the presidency.<\/p>\n

Since his first attempt at the top seat in 1997, Raila \u2014 fondly known by his supporters as\u00a0Baba<\/em>\u00a0(Father) and\u00a0Agwambo<\/em>\u00a0(The Mysterious One) \u2014 remained a constant presence in Kenya\u2019s shifting political landscape.<\/p>\n

Over five presidential bids, he inspired millions, unsettled regimes, and left an indelible mark on the nation\u2019s democratic journey.<\/p>\n

From Presidents Daniel arap Moi, Mwai Kibaki, Uhuru Kenyatta to William Ruto, Odinga has remained a permanent feature in national politics \u2014 often from the trenches of the opposition.<\/p>\n

Born in 1945, Raila was the son of Kenya\u2019s first Vice President, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, whose fallout with President Jomo Kenyatta defined a family legacy of political dissent.<\/p>\n

After studying engineering in East Germany, Raila returned to Kenya during the repressive rule of President Daniel arap Moi.<\/p>\n

In 1982, he was detained without trial over allegations of involvement in a failed coup attempt. Nearly a decade in detention turned him into a symbol of defiance \u2014 and a fearless voice for democracy.<\/p>\n

Raila\u2019s first bid for the presidency came in 1997 under the National Development Party (NDP).\u00a0<\/p>\n

Finishing third behind Moi and Democratic Party leader Mwai Kibaki, his performance marked his emergence as a formidable national figure.<\/p>\n

In a surprising twist, Raila later struck a cooperation deal with Moi\u2019s KANU in 2001, merging NDP into the ruling party and joining the Cabinet as Energy Minister. To his critics, it was opportunism; to his allies, it was strategic engagement with power.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 15 \u2013 Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has remembered former Prime Minister the late Raila Odinga as a fierce opponent who later become his \u2018handshake\u2019 brother. In a statement, he pointed out that Odinga was \u201cmore than a political colleague, he was a defining part of my own journey, in public service and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-123123","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","entry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123123","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=123123"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123123\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=123123"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=123123"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=123123"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}