Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma has said the death of former opposition leader Raila Odinga has revealed how central he was to Kenya’s political stability and democratic growth.
In a reflective statement shared on X, Kaluma described a “haunting irony” across the country, claiming that Kenyans who once criticized Raila are now beginning to appreciate his influence and leadership.
The MP said that even Raila’s political opponents are realizing how much they relied on his voice during national crises.
“Barely a month after Raila’s death, the same voices that vilified him for decades now tremble in his permanent silence,” Kaluma wrote, adding that the country feels a suffocating void without the veteran leader’s presence.
He cited several moments in Kenya’s political history where Raila played a decisive role, including his 2002 endorsement of Mwai Kibaki, the 2008 coalition government following post-election violence, and the 2018 handshake with then-President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Kaluma said these actions, often criticized at the time, were necessary to prevent national disunity.
The MP also defended Raila’s legacy as a statesman who restrained his supporters from violent action despite repeated claims of electoral injustice.
“He had the power to order people to march to State House, and it could have happened. But he never did,” Kaluma wrote.
Raila Odinga, who died last month, had been a central figure in Kenyan politics for more than four decades.
Known for his fight for multiparty democracy, constitutional reform, and devolution, he served as Prime Minister between 2008 and 2013 after the disputed 2007 presidential election.
Kaluma described Raila as a man who “dedicated his life to fighting for Kenya,” recalling past assassination attempts and imprisonment during the single-party era.
He concluded that history was beginning to judge Raila differently following his passing.
“History works slowly, but death accelerates judgment,” he said, adding that many Kenyans now acknowledge Raila’s unmatched role in shaping the nation’s democratic path.
Raila’s death has continued to attract tributes from leaders across the political divide, with many describing him as a symbol of resilience and reform in Kenya’s turbulent political history.