‘I took a trip on a sailing ship, and when I reached Jamaica I made a stop. But I’m sad to say I’m on my way. Won’t be back for many a day, my heart is down, my head is turning around. I had to leave a little girl in Kingston town’ ~ This was Rt Hon. Raila Odinga’s favorite lines in the song, Jamaican Farewell by Harry Bellafonte, an American singer well known for popularizing calypso music with international audiences in the 1950s and 1960s.
Former Kenya’s Prime Minister and AU High Representative for Infrastructure Development (2018 -2021), Rt. Hon Raila Odinga, died in India on Wednesday after suffering a cardiac arrest during a morning walk. He was 80 years old. His death marks the end of a long career closely tied to Kenya’s democratic transformation and to Africa-wide efforts in institutional reform, devolution, and equity.
For decades, Odinga was deeply involved in pushing for constitutional reforms in Kenya. His advocacy contributed to the country’s constitutional changes in 2010 which strengthened checks and balances, reinforced judicial independence, and expanded citizens’ rights. These changes have been widely credited with laying the foundation for more accountable institutions in Kenya.
Devolution of the Kenyan government was an area in which Odinga’s influence is visible. His long-time support for decentralized governance helped shift decision-making authority from national to county governments. That has had tangible effects for communities; counties now have more control over local resources, environmental management, and service delivery. Local governments in Kenya have used devolved powers in recent years to improve water access, manage forests, enforce land-use regulations, and address local climate impacts. These are among the outcomes that link back to frameworks Odinga helped advance.
Read also: Ethiopia to lead development of Africa’s 10-year maritime strategy
In terms of social equity, the now retired stateman consistently spoke about marginalized populations; youth, poorer regions, and under-served areas. His political life was built around broadening participation. In western Kenya, his strong following was rooted in how he addressed issues of regional inequality, access to services, and inclusion of citizens often left out of decision-making. He ran for president multiple times, sometimes under difficult conditions, driven by a platform that emphasized rights, representation, and opportunity.
Beyond Kenya, Odinga served as the African Union High Representative for Infrastructure Development(2018 -2021), a role in which he worked to promote Africa’s integration through improved infrastructure, transport, and trade networks. He supported talks and plans aimed at connecting the continent, through corridors, ports, and cross-border projects, that align with wider climate-resilient and trade-enhancing goals. His continental work underlined the view that sustainable development in Africa requires institutional coherence, regulatory harmonization, and cooperation across borders.
In a recent pan-African campaign for the African Union’s leadership, Raila Odinga, presented a platform that placed infrastructure, intra-African trade and economic transformation at its center. Odinga’s stated that priorities for Africa’s growth and to achieve agenda 2063, should be accelerating connectivity through cross-border transport and energy projects, boosting industrialisation linked to regional value chains, and strengthening mechanisms for financing infrastructure from African sources. His pitch emphasised aligning infrastructure development with job creation, local skills development and measures to make projects climate-resilient and socially inclusive, an agenda that framed infrastructure not merely as construction but to shape trade, industrial policy and regional integration.
Read also: Tragedy at Mombasa ocean festival highlights gaps in marine safety and coastal event preparedness
“If this is to be the African century, and we are to usher in a new era of prosperity and peace, then we must harness our vast human and natural resources and combine the energy of our youth with the vision and wisdom of our leaders. At this pivotal moment, at which our many opportunities risk being overshadowed by looming global challenges, we need an African Union Commission that can deliver on the priorities of the African peoples – both by catalyzing delivery on our continent and by commanding the global influence it rightfully warrants. As a lifelong Pan Africanist who has represented my country across the continent and my continent across the world, a leader who has delivered results in every position that I have ever held – at the local, national and international levels, I am convinced that I am the ideal person to serve my continent and its Member States in this critical role as the African Union Commission Chairperson. I have formulated the following priorities and strategies to address the most pressing challenges facing the continent” – an excerpt from Rt. Hon Raila Odinga’s vision statement for the AUC Chairmanship position..
Even though he lost the bid to Ethiopia’s H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, his campaign manifesto for the seat demonstrates elements that reflected long-standing themes in Odinga’s public work and vision on infrastructure and integration in Africa.
Leaders across Africa have expressed condolences, noting that Odinga’s impact extended well beyond politics. He is described in AU circles as a figure who pressed for an Africa where infrastructure is built not just for growth, but for inclusion and connectivity. His push for infrastructure development was not only physical but institutional, ensuring countries partner, plan, and regulate with both people and environment in mind.
His passing has left a gap in ongoing efforts to deepen governance reform, strengthen county systems, and promote equitable development. Those who worked with him are likely to carry forward his priorities, especially in spaces where democracy, accountability, and inclusion intersect with sustainability: climate governance, environmental justice, and citizen participation in policy.
For youth looking up to models of leadership that combine public service with institutional reform, Odinga’s life provides lessons. For sustainable development frameworks in Africa, his work highlights that political systems matter deeply: they shape who gets resources, who has access to justice, and who benefits from infrastructure.
As Kenya and the continent reflect on his legacy, the challenge ahead is to maintain momentum in governance reforms, honor devolution efforts, and build the kind of inclusive infrastructure systems he championed. His death may close a chapter, but many of the policies and institutions he shaped will continue to define part of the path forward for sustainable development in Africa.
