Former spokesperson of the late Raila Odinga, Dennis Onyango, now says the former Prime Minister had a weakness of believing Kenya could chart its own political path without adequately factoring in external interests.

Dennis Onyango spoke on Sunday, June 7, 2026, during an interview with a local media station, where he reflected on Raila Odinga’s political career and what he believes contributed to some of the veteran opposition leader’s election losses.

Raila Odinga assumed the internal community’s influence

According to Onyango, Raila consistently maintained strong convictions about Kenya’s sovereignty and independence, but may have underestimated the influence of the international community on the country’s political direction.

“I think Raila Odinga won in 2007, even though I was not working for him then. I think he won,” Onyango said.

He added that what stood out throughout Raila’s political career was what he described as the former Prime Minister’s refusal to fully appreciate the role external actors play in Kenya’s affairs.

“The thing he didn’t internalise in his political career was his refusal to understand that this country is not independent. We are independent, yes, but this country cannot do things on its own without factoring in the external world,” Onyango stated.

According to the former aide, he frequently discussed the issue with political leaders allied to Raila, arguing that no administration can completely ignore international interests while seeking to govern Kenya.

“This is a battle I fought, and I think I lost it. It is something I sat down in sessions and talked with Members of Parliament about.

“Up to date, you cannot do things on your own in this country. You cannot entirely ignore the external world and assure them that you can do business with them after selling your bid to Kenyans,” he added.

The remarks come months after Raila’s death, which shocked supporters and political allies across Kenya and beyond.

During the same interview, Onyango also spoke about learning of Raila’s death, revealing that the two had spoken just two days before the former Prime Minister passed away.

Dennis Onyango speaks about Raila’s death

“When I heard about his death, I was shocked because we had spoken two days before. It was unbelievable,” Onyango said.

However, he noted that Raila often approached discussions about mortality casually, a trait that shaped how he personally processed the loss.

“Raila would be shocked and annoyed that people are still mourning him. Since he talked about death casually and did not take it seriously, I thought to myself that I shouldn’t mourn more than he would have wanted me to,” Onyango added.

Raila Odinga remains one of Kenya’s most influential political figures, having served as Prime Minister and contested for the presidency multiple times during a political career that spanned several decades.