Place of Luo Nyanza in post-Raila Kenya as his exit looms

Raila Odinga looks on during the coronation of Luo Council of Elders chair Odungi Randa at Ofafa Hall in Kisumu. [Michael Mute, Standard]

Speculation about Raila Odinga's imminent retirement from the local scene has brought into sharp focus the role his Nyanza backyard plays in the country's politics.

Since the return of pluralism, the region has fielded a presidential candidate in every election. The former prime minister has been that candidate five times (1997, 2007, 2013, 2017 and 2022), with his father trying out in the 1992 polls. In 2002, Siaya Governor James Orengo made a stab at the presidency.

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