Timeline: Raila Amolo Odinga’s political journey

Born in 1945

1970: Raila Odinga returns to Kenya after studying abroad

1971: Established the Standard Processing Equipment Construction and Erection Limited (later renamed East African Spectre)

1982: Charged with treason and detained for 6 years

1988: Arrested for involvement in multiparty campaigns

1990: Rearrested after his release on 12 June 1989

1991: Upon his release, he fled to Norway over assassination fears

1992: Back from exile, Joined Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (FORD)

-Vied for the first time as MP and won Langata parliamentary seat

-Quit FORD-K & formed National Democratic Party (NDP)

Langata MP Raila Odinga and Mathare MP Ochieng Mbeo donate maize flour to crash victims at Kirigiti Stadium in December 1994. [File, Standard]
1997: Contested for the presidency and lost

-Led merger between NDP and KANU

Raila Odinga, Kenneth Matiba and other opposition leaders during law reform demos in Nairobi in May 1997. [File, Standard]
2001-2002: Served as Minister for Energy

2002: Forms LDP, teams up with National Alliance Party of Kenya (NAK) to form NARC that defeated Uhuru Kenyatta in 2002 poll.

2005: Raila led the ‘Orange’ camp in opposing the proposed constitution

2007: Vied for the presidency for the second time under ODM and was runners up

2008: Became Kenya’s second Prime Minister

2013: Contested for the presidency for the third time on a CORD ticket, lost to Uhuru Kenyatta

2017: Vied for the presidency for the fourth time on a NASA ticket and lost to Uhuru Kenyatta

-Odinga successfully challenged Uhuru’s victory in court, the win was declared null and void forcing a repeat election, Odinga withdrew from the election re-run

-Raila went ahead to swear himself in as the “people’s president”

2018: Raila-Uhuru decided to reconcile and shook hands before millions of Kenyans

2022: Vied for the presidency for the fifth time on Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Alliance ticket

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