Raila’s exit signals new political era, says Lee Njiru

Former presidential press secretary Lee Njiru says Raila Odinga’s death marks a decisive turning point in Kenya’s politics, warning that ODM could face collapse without its founder’s guiding influence.

Speaking on Radio Generation on Friday, Njiru said the late leader’s courage and determination had defined an era that will be difficult to replicate.

“It has dried up, and the politics of Kenya is going to be built differently,” he said, signalling the end of what he described as a politically defining era.

Njiru noted that Raila Odinga’s presence in Kenyan politics was a stabilising and transformative force that commanded both loyalty and respect across the divide.

“This man was a force to reckon with. He could challenge government, he could challenge power. And whatever he set out to do, he did it with courage, with seriousness, and with determination,” he said.

He linked the strength of ODM to Raila’s personal leadership, suggesting that the party’s unity and identity were heavily tied to his influence. “ODM party is theirs, yes, although Raila wanted that party to be national,” he stated.

According to Njiru, the party’s current composition and leadership structures may struggle to survive without Odinga at the helm. “That mentality, that ODM is noble, is one which is going to destroy that party,” he warned.

Njiru recalled past incidents that revealed ODM’s internal frictions, pointing to an episode in which Odinga himself was mishandled during a confrontation.

“You see when that was a senior fellow house, you remember how he was handled. He was manhandled, and he was actually carried shoulder high and thrown out of the offices,” he said, drawing parallels between that event and the current uncertainty surrounding the party’s direction.

Njiru predicted that ODM could face deep divisions and possible decline as power struggles emerge among those who rose under Odinga’s leadership. “It is going to be very, very interesting,” he remarked.

In his interview, Njiru also drew historical parallels to illustrate the gravity of Raila’s death.

“When I heard of the death of this man, yes, I remembered the assassination of Julius Caesar in Rome, when he was assassinated,” he said, implying that the event marked the end of an era and the beginning of political upheaval.

Njiru’s remarks painted a picture of a looming political transition as Kenya adjusts to life after one of its most dominant figures.

His warning about ODM’s future and the broader national landscape underscores the uncertainty that may follow the vacuum left by Raila Odinga’s passing.

As the country continues to react to the news, Njiru’s comments serve as both a forecast and a caution, that the balance of power built around Odinga’s charisma and defiance may now shift, reshaping alliances and redefining Kenya’s political order for years to come.