This archive report was first published on 12 July 2020.
July 12, 2020
As a nation, we have a tendency to exhaust each other, but I believe we can give each other credit where it's due. In the case of Raila Odinga, I think it's time to acknowledge his sacrifices and contributions to Kenya's democracy.
Since his Handshake with Uhuru Kenyatta in March 2018, Odinga has faced intense criticism from his opponents and even some of his allies. However, I believe it's time to give him his due.
Odinga is a freedom fighter who has dedicated his life to the struggle for democracy in Kenya. He has made his share of mistakes, but who among us is perfect? He has been in the political arena for decades, and it's only fair that we judge him by the full body of his work.
Against this standard, Odinga must be adjudged as one of the most patriotic Kenyans, alive or dead. I rank him up there at the top of the pyramid with his father, the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.
Detractors may call him a 'dynasty,' but I believe he's an opposition 'dynasty.' Similarly, those who call themselves 'hustlers' are also right – they are true hustlers, but they have no history or track record of opposing the state.
Odinga and his family have faced persecution and mental anguish at the hands of the Moi-Kanu state. His wife, Ida Odinga, held the family together during his detention, and they lived in fear of their lives. These sacrifices are legendary, and yet, neither Odinga nor his wife are bitter people.
Much of the current ire against Odinga springs from his Handshake with Kenyatta. However, I believe it's a fact that the country stabilized after the Handshake, and Kenyatta has taken steps against corrupt mandarins since then.
Let's just say I am not shedding any tears. Odinga is entitled to play out his rapprochement with Kenyatta, and only history will judge him.
Makau Mutua is SUNY Distinguished Professor and Margaret W. Wong Professor at Buffalo Law School. He's Chair of KHRC. @makaumutua.
