Law Society of Kenya President Faith Odhiambo has dedicated this year’s Mashujaa Day celebrations to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

From detention to democracy, Raila’s life traced the arc of Kenya’s struggle for freedom and justice. As the son of the country’s first vice president, he could easily have chosen comfort. Instead, he became a rebel for reform, a man detained without trial, vilified by the state, yet unyielding in his call for multiparty democracy.

Through the 1980s and 1990s, Raila endured political persecution that tested his resolve but forged his legend as a defender of electoral fairness and civil rights. Following his contributions to democracy and justice, the LSK boss has honoured the departed Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader.

”Mashujaa day celebrations often come as an opportunity to celebrate our heroes, both past and living. This year’s Mashujaa Day is different because it comes with the weight of saying goodbye to a once-in-a-lifetime hero. A hero who we all knew, experienced and loved. A hero who didn’t just fight for change and take a step back, but kept the fight going so that we may learn how to live with that change lest it consume our nation,” Faith Odhiambo took to X on Mashujaa Day, Monday, October 20, 2025.

Odinga’s legacy lives on

Raila Odinga’s most lasting institutional mark lies in the birth of the 2010 Constitution, a framework that devolved power, enshrined human rights, and strengthened checks on authority. As Prime Minister in the Grand Coalition Government, Odinga also helped drive the reform conversations that redefined Kenya’s political architecture.

Beyond protest, Raila was also a builder and negotiator. His role in the 2008 power-sharing deal after Kenya’s post-election violence showed his capacity to reconcile and rebuild.

”True heroes are those who leave a permanent light burning, and Baba’s light will continue to burn for generations to come. Baba is a leader like no other, and we honour him today and always. All hail Kenya’s ultimate Shujaa!” Faith Odhiambo added.

Raila Odinga’s politics were never without controversy. His persistent claims of electoral theft and mass mobilisations made him a polarising figure. Yet even his fiercest critics acknowledged his resilience and unmatched ability to move the national conscience. The former Prime Minister died on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, while undergoing treatment in India. He was laid to rest at his Bondo home on Sunday, October 19, 2025, aged 80 years.