Raila Odinga

Raila Odinga
Odinga in 2017
African Union High Representative for Infrastructure Development
In office
20 October 2018 – 23 February 2023
ChairMoussa Faki
Preceded byElisabeth Tankeu (Commissioner of Trade and Industry)
2nd Prime Minister of Kenya
In office
17 April 2008 – 9 April 2013
PresidentMwai Kibaki
DeputyMusalia Mudavadi
Uhuru Kenyatta
Preceded byJomo Kenyatta (1964)
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Minister of Roads, Public Works and Housing
In office
14 January 2003 – 21 November 2005
PresidentMwai Kibaki
Preceded byWilliam Cheruiyot Morogo
Succeeded bySoita Shitanda
Minister for Energy
In office
11 June 2001 – 30 December 2002
PresidentDaniel arap Moi
Preceded byFrancis Masakhalia
Succeeded bySimeon Nyachae
Member of Parliament for Langata Constituency
In office
26 January 1993 – 28 March 2013
Preceded byPhilip Leakey
Succeeded byJoash Olum
Personal details
Born
Raila Amolo Odinga

(1945-01-07) 7 January 1945 (age 79)
Maseno, Kenya Colony
Political partyForum for the Restoration of Democracy (before 1992)
Forum for the Restoration of Democracy – Kenya (1992–1994)
National Development Party (1994–2002)
Kenya African National Union (2000–2002)
Liberal Democratic Party (2002–2005)
Orange Democratic Movement (2005–present)
Other political
affiliations
Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (2012–2017)
National Super Alliance (2017–2021)
Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Coalition (2022–present)
Spouse
(m. 1973)
Children4 (including Rosemary)
ParentOginga Odinga (father)
RelativesOburu Odinga (brother)
EducationOtto von Guericke University Magdeburg
Signature
WebsiteOfficial website

Raila Amolo Odinga (born 7 January 1945) is a Kenyan politician who served as the Prime Minister of Kenya from 2008 to 2013.[1] He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Langata Constituency from 1992 to 2013 and has been the Leader of Opposition in Kenya since 2013.[2][3] He is the leader of Azimio la Umoja–One Kenya Coalition Party.

Odinga has run for President of Kenya five times, with none of his attempts being successful. Each time, Odinga has alleged electoral fraud.[4]

In 1997, he finished third as the candidate of the National Development Party (NDP). In 2007, he ran again for the presidency under the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and lost to Mwai Kibaki. In 2013, 2017, and 2022, Odinga was the runner-up as a candidate for the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD), National Super Alliance (NASA) and Azimio la Umoja respectively.[5][6] After his loss, he filed for petition against President-elect William Ruto at the Supreme Court of Kenya. The court decided against him, and Odinga pledged to respect its ruling.[7]

In February 2024, he announced his candidacy for the African Union Commission Chairperson.

  1. ^ Brownsell, James (9 July 2014). "Profile: Raila Odinga". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 13 August 2020. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  2. ^ "Biography: Raila Odinga". raila-odinga.com. Archived from the original on 18 February 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
  3. ^ Okwembah, David (1 March 2013). "Raila Odinga: Third time lucky in Kenya?". BBC News. Archived from the original on 28 December 2014. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
  4. ^ Ndebele, Lenin (16 August 2022). "Kenya elections: Raila Odinga defeated for the fifth time". News24. Archived from the original on 3 September 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  5. ^ Kiwuwa, David E. (7 April 2022). "Odinga is running his fifth presidential race. Why the outcome means so much for Kenya". The Conversation. Archived from the original on 9 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  6. ^ Okoth, Brian (10 December 2021). "Raila Odinga to run for presidency in 2022 General Election". The Standard. Archived from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  7. ^ Nyamasege, Wycliffe (5 September 2022). "We respect the Supreme Court judgement but disagree with it – Raila Odinga". People Daily. PD. Archived from the original on 20 February 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2023.