Raila's Handshakes from 1963: A Reign Without Rule

Editor’s note: In this reflective piece, Billy Mijungu, a practitioner in public policy, governance, and youth advocacy, analyses Raila Odinga’s legacy through the lens of his many political handshakes. From Jomo Kenyatta to William Ruto, Mijungu argues that Odinga’s strategic alliances, rooted in business, influence, and survival, have profoundly shaped Kenya’s political landscape. Far from mere symbolism, these handshakes tell a story of a statesman who has ruled without ever reigning.

It might surprise you, but Raila Odinga could easily go down in the Guinness Book of Records as the global king of political handshakes. Few leaders have mastered the art of political pacts without power like him. He has made more consequential handshakes than perhaps any other politician in Africa, each one steeped in business, politics, or survival. Never mind their spirit or outcome.

The first handshake came early with Jomo Kenyatta. A young Raila, then managing his father's business interests while Jaramogi Oginga Odinga was in detention, was supplying gas cylinders to Kenyatta’s Gatundu home. Raila himself recounts this moment in The Flame of Freedom. That handshake was business-centric, not revolutionary. His ideals were never purely about social justice; they had a capitalist hue, given that he was once a businessman, always one.

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The handshake with former president Daniel Moi was perhaps the most misunderstood of all. After a short-lived collaboration following the 1993 elections, it was in 1998 that Raila formally joined forces with Moi, an alliance many viewed as a betrayal but which offered him political growth in the executive. These handshakes, it seems, often quiet dissent while opening doors to opportunity.

Then came the Kibaki handshake after the 2007 post-election violence, an election many believe Raila won. This was his closest taste of executive power. As prime minister, he made impactful decisions, but never with full authority. It was power in theory, rarely in execution. Still, it allowed him to rally support, shape policy, and redefine leadership without presidency.

The 2018 Uhuru handshake was the most curious of all. It was silent, sudden, and seismic. This truce sidelined Raila’s key allies and seemed to alienate his core supporters. However, it also gave him access to state machinery and enabled him to influence governance without directly contesting power.

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Ironically, it became the very handshake that paved the way for William Ruto’s rise by fracturing the Jubilee coalition and altering Kenya’s political landscape.

The Ruto handshake, if we dare call it one, wasn’t born out of political strategy but public pressure. It was sparked by the Gen Z protests in 2024, a youthful uprising that compelled both men to acknowledge the limits of power and the power of the people.

This handshake may be Raila's most transformative yet. It isn’t anchored in political convenience but in national necessity. It signals a pivot to genuine democratic engagement, where Raila’s demands can no longer be ignored and where the government must listen or risk being broken.

In all these handshakes, one thing is constant: business is king.

Whether through deals, influence, or survival, Raila has mastered the art of reigning without ruling. His handshakes have shaped Kenya’s history, often without him ever holding the presidency.

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The author is Billy Mijungu, a seasoned practitioner in public policy, governance, leadership, and political advocacy.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of any affiliated institutions or organisations.

Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.

Source: TUKO.co.ke