From his fiery liberation rhetoric and philosophical musings on death, to his humorous analogies and messages of peace, former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga’s words have often mirrored the shifting tides of Kenya’s politics, passionate, defiant, and deeply human. Here are a few of his quotes and reflections.
1.“You only live once, and if you live it right, once is enough. Fidel has lived with us once and has lived wisely, and therefore it is enough.”
Raila spoke these moving words during a memorial service for his late son, Fidel Odinga.
2.“Cowards die so many times before their death; the brave taste of death but once. Death is a necessary evil; it will come when it will come and therefore there is no need to fear death.”
3.“If you are sick, there are two things that can happen: you either recover or die. If you die, there is nothing to fear even in hell, you will meet old friends greeting you before the time of fire comes.”
4.“For the sake of Kenya, I will shake the hand of my rivals and pay the political price if I have to. I will do it because I love Kenya more than I love Raila Amolo Odinga.”
5.“What we have today is something we were forced into because of the circumstances that existed at that time. We sacrificed so that there could be peace in this country. I do not regret what we did.”
6.“The democracy we have today has come a long way. We used to be jailed anytime we opposed the government. That is when the lion had teeth and jaws. But we have disarmed it and we remain with a harmless lion, “kibogoyo.”
7.“Democracy is not instant coffee that you brew and drink at the same time. What is important is that Kenya remains together.”
8.“I bear the scars of liberation with pride and embrace the blood, sweat and tears they caused me. For months on end, I was held incommunicado in solitary confinement. Relatives died, including my mother and brother, and I never said goodbye. But I would not wish that torment on anyone, not even my worst enemy.
9.“I am surprised that whenever I come to Nyeri, people say they fear Raila Odinga. All the time we have worked together with Ken Matiba, President Mwai Kibaki and others. When I said ‘Kibaki Tosha’ in 2002, didn’t I know he was a Kikuyu? We only disagreed later when people around him refused to implement the Constitution. So, those who preach ethnicity are talking cheap politics.”
10.“Think as a Kenyan first before you think as a member of your community. We must shun ethnic divisions; they are what is keeping us away from realizing the Kenyan dream.
11.“ On Sunday we shall cross the River Jordan and enter the promised land of Canaan. We shall begin the journey by 6am, and by noon we will be in Jericho.”
12.“ We told our people we were going to Canaan, but when we reached River Jordan, we found crocodiles. That’s why we agreed to build bridges to Canaan.”
13.“ I, Raila Amolo Odinga, in true realization of the high calling, assume the office of the People’s President of the Republic of Kenya, so help me God.”
14.“ I like constructive criticism because that is the only way you can improve. If you fear criticism, you continue making mistakes.”
15.“ If you see a beautiful girl and you like her, talk to her. Woo her with sweet words. The first time she may tell you to go away; the second time, the same. But the third time she’ll ask, ‘What are you saying?’
16.“ You want me to win. I have done that several times. They have refused to open the servers because they know that is where the truth lies.
17.“You should not say Raila is not vying in 2027 when we get there with a burnt country. Kenyans need to live between now and 2027. We cannot have politics for five straight years and the country will not progress.”
18.“Those who left the party are just fingerlings, but the whale is still there making noise.”
19.“They told me that when they opened my head, it was like a pressure cooker. They had to do irrigation on my head. I have gone through real brain washing.”
20.“If I was to die and God asked me where I would want to be born, I would say take me back to Kenya. Only what we have to do is make this country a better place to live in.”
21.“ None of us thought a day would come when antagonists just a year ago would get together to chart a way forward. But in life and in a nation, it comes a time when danger knocks on the door. We answered that call.”
