Superman. That is what Raila Amolo Odinga was. As we come to terms with the reality that the great mover of Kenya's political space is no longer with us, we should pause and think about the life of a man who was arguably the most criticised, misunderstood, and yet profoundly influential politician of our time. Though about half the nation stood with him at any given moment, the contested presidential elections that defined his political journey often unfolded in a climate where both local and international powers viewed his possible presidency with apprehension. This complex interplay of forces perhaps explains why his political destiny repeatedly met resistance despite his immense national following.

When I call him superman, I do not refer to the fictional hero of the movies. I use the term in the sense given by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. In his book, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Nietzsche describes the Ubermensch, literally the Overman or Beyond Man, as one who transcends ordinary human limitations and creates new values from suffering and struggle. Nietzsche's Superman is not a being of supernatural power but one who rises above pain, bitterness, and adversity and transforms them into creative energy.