As Kenya marks the first anniversary of Raila Odinga's death on Thursday, the former prime minister remains a towering figure in the country. For many, he symbolizes the struggle for multiparty democracyand constitutional reforms in Kenya. For others, his later political alliances raise questions about compromise, opposition politics and the direction of the movement he built.
The question is not only how the country remembers Odinga — but whether the principles he championed can survive. "I want his legacy to live beyond the party," 20-year-old Nairobi resident Beatrice Chebet told DW.
Chebet said Odinga wanted a Kenya grounded in peace, democracy, constitutionalism and the rule of law. Chebet says younger generations must carry those aspirations forward.
Chebet said Odinga's political journey became part of the country's history and the experience of younger Kenyans. "Some of us were Gen Zs," Chebet said. "We did not know any form of multipartyism without reading Raila.”
Forged in struggle
Odinga's influence was shaped by decades of opposition politics, detentions and campaigns for democratic change. His role in the disputed 2007 presidential election placed him at the center of one of Kenya's most consequential political crises. The post-election violence killed more than 1,100 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.
A power-sharing agreement brokered with international mediation led by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan made Odinga prime minister in a coalition government with President Mwai Kibaki. The settlement also established a reform agenda, including constitutional change. Kenya adopted a new constitution in 2010, introducing a devolved system of government.
The security and intelligence strategist Byron Adera said Odinga's impact extended beyond electoral politics. "Raila was an institution that rocked institutions, bringing about lasting and very impactful institutional reforms for the betterment of Kenya," Adera told DW. He identifies constitutional reform and efforts to bring competing political interests together as important parts of Odinga's legacy.
Reconciliation also became one of the most contested aspects of Odinga's career. His "handshakes" of reconciliation with Kibaki in 2008 and President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2018 and cooperation with President William Ruto in 2024 illustrated his willingness to pursue political agreements with former rivals.
Supporters saw dialogue as a way to reduce tensions and advance national interests; critics questioned what such arrangements meant for an independent opposition. Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has strongly criticized the political rapprochement between President William Ruto and the late Raila Odinga.
In May, Gachagua called the handshake process "nonsense" and said it had eroded Kenya's democracy by weakening the opposition's ability to hold the government accountable. His position offers a contrasting view of the alliances that shaped Odinga's later political years.
What happens to Odinga's ODM party?
The debate over Odinga's legacy is especially pressing within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), the party he helped found and led for years.
Edwin Sifuna, a potential presidential candidate in the 2027 election, who describes Odinga as both his leader and friend, said the ODM's identity and direction had changed fundamentally. "We run the risk of losing our core support, people who believed in the ideals of ODM, because we were always the party of the people," Sifuna told DW.
Sifuna said Odinga's influence on national politics and public debate was greatly missed. His remarks point to a central challenge for ODM: whether it can preserve its identity and connection with ordinary Kenyans while navigating a changing political landscape. However, in a bid to keep the Odinga name in politics, Winnie Odinga, daughter of Raila Odinga, declared that she will run for Senator of Nairobi County in the 2027 election.
Chebet said Odinga's legacy would be measured by whether future generations continue to defend the principles associated with his political journey. Adera, meanwhile, emphasizes the lasting importance of institutional reform and building bridges.
Their perspectives highlight the tension at the heart of Odinga's legacy: a leader remembered for expanding democratic possibilities, but whose political compromises remain debatable. A year after his death, Odinga's influence is still visible in Kenya's political arguments, party divisions and public calls for democratic accountability.
The lasting test will be whether Kenya's institutions, political parties and younger generation can carry those principles forward — and whether the democratic space Odinga helped shape can endure beyond the man himself.
