'Baba' Odinga: Kenya's Diehard Presidential Hopeful
Sumaira FH Published August 04, 2022 | 11:10 AM
Nairobi, Aug 4 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Aug, 2022 ) :Raila Amolo Odinga, a veteran Kenyan political leader and one-time prime minister, has long cast himself as an anti-establishment firebrand, despite belonging to one of the country's top political dynasties.
But his decision to strike an alliance with his arch-rival, President Uhuru Kenyatta, and secure the ruling party's backing as he vies yet again for the top job in the August 9 elections, risks taking the shine off his brand.
The Kenyatta and Odinga families have dominated Kenyan politics since the country won independence from Britain in 1963.
Uhuru Kenyatta's father Jomo was the East African nation's first president while his rival Jaramogi Oginga Odinga -- Raila's father -- served as vice president.
Now 77, Raila Odinga's early years in politics saw him spend much of his time in prison or in exile as he fought for democracy during the autocratic rule of president Daniel arap Moi.
A member of the Luo tribe, he entered parliament in 1992 and ran unsuccessfully for the presidency in 1997, 2007, 2013 and 2017, claiming to have been cheated of victory in the last three elections.
The 2007 polls in particular -- which many independent observers also considered deeply flawed -- cast a long shadow over Kenyan politics, unleashing a wave of ethnic violence that pitted tribal groups against each other and cost more than 1,100 lives.
Few therefore expected Odinga and Kenyatta to shake hands and draw a line under decades of vitriol in March 2018.
Known universally as "the handshake", the pact stunned Odinga's colleagues and supporters, effectively leaving Kenya without an opposition.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
3 Gawadar attack victims funeral offered
Mbappe says he will leave PSG at end of season
Usmani felicitates Sardar Saleem on taking oath as Punjab Governor
DC for provision of facilities to people in Lasbela
Solar storm could bring auroras, power and telecoms disruptions
Court grants interim bail to PTI leaders
Ulema, Mashaykh call for political accountability, collaboration for Pakistan's ..
SHRC asks NADRA to issue CNICs to transgender as per law
Flash floods kill 50 in one day in north Afghanistan
CDA chief expresses commitment to promoting modern-day technologies
By wide margin, UN General Assembly votes to back Palestinian bid for membership ..
Musadik slams PTI's political approach as provocative
More Stories From Miscellaneous
-
Collective efforts vital to eradicate drugs addiction
18 hours ago -
Concerted efforts urged to ease traffic flow on city roads
6 days ago -
Land degradation: A threat to food security
6 days ago -
Revamping health sector, a gigantic task ahead
6 days ago -
American band promotes intercultural harmony thru music fusions
7 days ago -
Waste Management – A persistent challenge for MWMC
8 days ago
-
Experts for ending child labour
10 days ago -
Labour Day - A reminder for better facilities to workers
10 days ago -
Stage Drama Mohabati Manhoon presents in Arts council Larkana
12 days ago -
Wheat farmers in a fix on price, procurement mechanism
13 days ago -
Modern tools to help transform crime investigation procedures
13 days ago -
Sanam Marvi captivates audience with mesmerizing performance
13 days ago