Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga remains a major force in Kenyan politics a year after his death, The Star reported. ODM, the wider Azimio coalition and President William Ruto's Kenya Kwanza administration all treat his legacy as a key reference point. It comes up in talks about alliances, leadership and succession.
Raila died on October 15, 2025, while receiving medical treatment in India. According to The Star, he never named a successor. His death left a political vacuum, and rival factions are now fighting to fill it. Different leaders claim to know what he stood for and what he would have wanted.
The paper compared him with former Presidents Jomo Kenyatta, Daniel arap Moi and Mwai Kibaki. Their power to shape politics faded after they died, as the personal structures behind them weakened. Raila's influence rested on a movement, a political identity and a loyal following across regions, The Star said. That base still shapes national political calculations.
Moses Kuria, a former Cabinet Secretary, said Raila still influences political debate, especially within the opposition. "You cannot downplay the significance of Baba in Kenyan politics even in his absence. You cannot wish him away," Kuria said. He added that without Raila, a section of ODM "is gone". He said politicians in Raila's former space now face a hard task in managing the gap he left.
Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi rejected claims that Nyanza has moved on. He said Raila remains the region's leader and called him "the Alpha and Omega of our politics." Political commentator Caleb Burudi said Raila's influence ran deeper than winning votes. He linked it to Raila's long fight for multiparty democracy, constitutional reform and political inclusion. Burudi said this explains why local leaders still invoke Raila's name when they discuss the community's future.
Political analyst Joseph Mutua said Raila's influence also survives through the networks, alliances and institutions he built over decades. Some politicians rose to prominence through his movements, and those relationships still matter in negotiations. Without Raila's authority, The Star said, divisions he once managed through personal bargaining have come into the open.