Raila Odinga 80: Kenya's grand old statesman or wily dealmaker?

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga  is eyeing the African Union Commission’s chairperson in elections slated for February. [File, Standard]

Had the gods been kinder, Raila Odinga would have celebrated his 80th birthday Tuesday as Kenya’s fifth president. A better script would have seen him in his eighth year of retirement, had he claimed the prize in the disputed 2007 presidential election.

The gods had other ideas, destining Raila as Kenya’s perennial opposition leader. The former premier has dreams of continental leadership and will be seeking to replace Moussa Faki Mahamat as the African Union Commission’s (AUC) chairperson in elections slated for next month.

Many are already writing off Raila’s chances to be Kenya’s president, as he will be 82 when the country next goes to the polls, making his AUC bid one of the few options he has in advancing his political career. This could, perhaps, be the true “last bullet” for the indefatigable politician.