As we celebrate the life of this great fighter for Kenyan democracy, we will remember him by his own words. Below are a few… Let Odinga’s political legacy continue. Let’s never give up the fight for our freedom; it may take a long time, but never give up!
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On how the treatment of those who fought for the freedom of Kenya and the Mau Mau uprising : The men and women who paid the ultimate price so that we may live in freedom only had the nasty reward of being called bandits and terrorists when the war was over.
On the Mau Mau revolution: I can feel the pain of the Mau Mau and other freedom fighters. They must have concluded that life is cruel and worthless and that Kenya has no place for heroes.
On education: Regardless of what you hear, the successes and failures you see, it still pays to work hard and play by the rules. Success is a lie when founded on shortcuts and deals negotiated in smoke-filled rooms.
On choosing the best people to govern the country : The security of the country must be in the hands of the best men and women for the job.
On his lifelong struggle against corruption and for the betterment of Kenya : I don’t fight individuals, I fight systems.
As a reminder of his time as a political detainee in the 1980s : Freedom is never given freely; it is won through struggle.
During the 2002 transition that saw the end of the KANU-rule, There comes a time when the nation is more important than an individual.
On winning elections, after his third attempt in 2013 : Three times I have run for president, two times I have won, and I have been robbed two times.
On the state of Kenya and African leadership : At independence, Kenya’s economy matched South Korea’s. Forty five years later, Korea is forty times larger. The mediocrity of leadership is Africa’s greatest curse.
On elections : You cannot have free and fair elections when one party controls and monopolizes the instruments of power.
His dream for Kenya, stated during his 2022 presidential campaign : My dream is a Kenya where no child goes to bed hungry.
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