Baba's towering political legacy and the void his exit leaves behind

For the past three decades, Raila Odinga was the axis around which both the Opposition and the government defined themselves. He was the person to love and to hate, both at once, depending on which side of the divide one stood. They trusted and feared him, cherished and loathed him, and praised and condemned him, all for the same reasons, in the same season. 

His demise has left them stuck. They need a new behemoth to step into the heavy boots of the departed political heavyweight. It is a massive assignment. Not even his closest allies over the years could walk into these shoes, fit in them snugly, and lift them to carry on from where he has left off. 

Unlock the Full Story — Join Thousands of Informed Kenyans Today

Unlock the Truth Now 》

Unlimited access to all premium content
Uninterrupted ad-free browsing experience
Mobile-optimized reading experience
Weekly Newsletters
MPesa, Airtel Money and Cards accepted

Login

Already a subscriber? Log in

`;
} else {
teaserEl.innerHTML = “”;
}

activeEl.innerHTML = “”;
paywallEl.style.display = “block”;

} else if (now >= saleStart && now <= saleEnd) {
paywallEl.style.display = “none”;

var diffToEnd = saleEnd – now;
var totalSeconds = Math.floor(diffToEnd / 1000);
var days = Math.floor(totalSeconds / (24 * 3600));
var hours = Math.floor((totalSeconds % (24 * 3600)) / 3600);
var minutes = Math.floor((totalSeconds % 3600) / 60);
var seconds = totalSeconds % 60;

activeEl.innerHTML = `

Offer ends in…

${days}Days
${String(hours).padStart(2,’0′)}Hours
${String(minutes).padStart(2,’0′)}Minutes
${String(seconds).padStart(2,’0′)}Seconds

Subscribe Now & Save

`;
} else {
teaserEl.innerHTML = “”;
activeEl.innerHTML = “”;
paywallEl.style.display = “block”;
}
}

function formatTime(ms) {
let totalSeconds = Math.floor(ms / 1000);
const days = Math.floor(totalSeconds / (3600 * 24));
totalSeconds %= 3600 * 24;
const hours = Math.floor(totalSeconds / 3600);
totalSeconds %= 3600;
const minutes = Math.floor(totalSeconds / 60);
const seconds = totalSeconds % 60;
return `${days}d ${hours}h ${minutes}m ${seconds}s`;
}

updateFlashSale();
setInterval(updateFlashSale, 1000);

Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp

For the past three decades, Raila Odinga was the axis around which both the Opposition and the government defined themselves. He was the person to love and to hate, both at once, depending on which side of the divide one stood. They trusted and feared him, cherished and loathed him, and praised and condemned him, all for the same reasons, in the same season. 

Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp