Siaya Governor James Orengo has shared his thoughts on the political and emotional void created by the passing of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, revealing he has not yet fully accepted the absence of the seasoned opposition figure.
Orengo stated that Raila passed away while still believing that the nation’s reform agenda remained unfinished.
During an interview on the Obinna Show Live, Orengo looked back on Raila’s final political years and justified his choice to engage with President William Ruto’s administration through dialogue and bipartisan discussions.
When asked if he had come to terms with the fact that ‘Baba is no longer here,’ Orengo admitted he still found it challenging because Raila remained intensely dedicated to advocating for reforms until his final days.
‘I haven’t truly come to terms, as the late Raila frequently reiterated that there was still work to be completed,’ Orengo explained.
The Siaya governor pointed out that Raila always held the belief that numerous reforms envisioned under the 2010 Constitution had not been fully realized despite years of political efforts.
‘Reforms that we expected would be firmly established under the new constitution are yet to be fully implemented,’ he declared.
Orengo clarified that Raila’s readiness to occasionally collaborate with administrations he strongly opposed was motivated by the pursuit of reforms and improved governance, not political compromise.
‘That’s why Baba occasionally would reach out to any administration in an effort to improve the situation,’ he remarked.
He pointed to Raila’s involvement with President Ruto’s administration via the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) discussions and the opposition’s 10-point agenda as evidence of his persistent reform efforts following electoral defeats.
‘During the Ruto administration, we had the NADCO report, the 10-point agendaall of that,’ Orengo noted.
‘I believe he was attempting to convey that while we didn’t succeed in the elections, we could leverage ongoing protests to achieve some of those desired changes.’
Raila passed away in October 2025 while receiving medical treatment in Kerala, India, concluding a political career that had influenced Kenya’s opposition politics and reform movement for decades.
His passing prompted nationwide mourning and reignited discussions about the future direction of ODM and the broader reform movement he had led for many years.