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Raila Odinga

Raila Odinga Quotes

Former Prime Minister of Kenya

Raila Odinga is a prominent Kenyan politician who served as the Prime Minister of Kenya. Born on January 7, 1945, he has been a central figure in Kenyan politics for several decades. Odinga is known for his role in the opposition and his advocacy for political reforms.

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All Election Has Beens Kenya Leader People Economy Fairs Ifs Knows Past

Famous Raila Odinga Quotes

“The stone throwing and house burning is no longer a face of Kenya . Kenya is now a destination for investment and tourism.”

Faces House Stones Investment Burning Destination Throwing Tourism Kenya

Author:Raila Odinga

“My view is that the time has come for the international community to act on Zimbabwe in the way that it did in Bosnia. I do not think that we are going to get free and fair elections in Zimbabwe.”

Thinking Way Community Views Fairs Election International International Community Zimbabwe Bosnia

Author:Raila Odinga

“I think it is its time for the leaders of Africa to say to President Mugabe that the people of Zimbabwe's deserve a free and fair election.”

People Thinking President Leader Deserve Fairs Election Zimbabwe Mugabe

Author:Raila Odinga

“It is a big embarrassment that a leader can say on the eve of an election that he cannot hand over power to an opponent, that he can only hand over power to a member of his political party.”

Hands Bigs Political Party Leader Willing Members Election Opponents Political Parties Embarrassment

Author:Raila Odinga

“It is my view that it is a big embarrassment for Africa . It is hypocritical for African leaders to talk about democracy and human rights and to be silent when these things are happening in Zimbabwe .”

Humans Bigs Views Leader Democracy Rights Happenings Silent Human Rights Embarrassment Hypocritical Zimbabwe Democracy And Human Rights

Author:Raila Odinga

“You cannot have free and fair elections while one party controls completely and monopolizes the instrument of power and .. Tsvangirai is in and out of police cells almost on a daily basis, when people are being arrested, people are being beaten up.”

People Party Fairs Bases Police Election Instruments Cells Beaten Arrested

Author:Raila Odinga

“Gone are the days when African leaders used to misrule their people and the rest of Africa was quiet under the guise of what was called non-interference.”

People Used Leader Gone Quiet Interference Guise

Author:Raila Odinga

“The mediocrity with which Africa has been ruled is responsible for its underdevelopment.”

Has Beens Responsible Mediocrity Underdevelopment

Author:Raila Odinga

“The Vision 2030 is aimed at transforming Kenya from a struggling third-world economy into a second world economy - We do believe that it is a realizable objective; we don't believe that it is utopia. We know that it has been done in some.”

Knows World Believe Has Beens Done Vision Struggle Economy Thirds Don't Believe Objectives Transforming Utopia Third World Kenya World Economy

Author:Raila Odinga

“At independence Kenya's economic indicators were equal to those of South Korea, but 45 years down the road, Korea's economy is 40 times that of Kenya. The mediocrity of leadership is across the continent .”

Years Economy Economic Equal Independence South Mediocrity Continents Korea Down The Road Kenya Indicators South Korea

Author:Raila Odinga

“What has happened in the past is a lot of good policies have been developed on paper, but you find they are not implemented. So there is a disconnect between rhetoric and practice.”

Has Beens Past Practice Happened Policy Paper Rhetoric

Author:Raila Odinga

“The changes I envisage and that I have promised to address within my first 90 days in office are; Dismantling the cabals of tribalism that are choking our country and resulting in runaway corruption and frustration for the people of Kenya.”

People Firsts Country Office Corruption Our Country Addresses Frustration Choke Kenya Tribalism Runaway Cabal

Author:Raila Odinga

“You cannot forget the past but you can forgive it.”

Past Forget Forgiving Forget The Past

Author:Raila Odinga

“You don't want to live in the past. Everything in life is in the future. You don't want to continue to be buried in the past.”

Want Past Life Is Buried

Author:Raila Odinga

“The economy is best revived through heavy investment in infrastructure.”

Economy Investment Heavy Infrastructure

Author:Raila Odinga

“In the US after the Great Depression, they invested heavily in infrastructure to create a lot of employment. In Germany after the war there was the Marshall plan for roads, rail, housing, energy, water and so on. That created massive employment after the devastation of the war and helped them to rebuild the country.”

War Country Energy Water Plans Employment Germany Massive Infrastructure Housing Rail Great Depression Devastation Marshall Plan

Author:Raila Odinga

“Since the Moi era, or 'error' as I call it, prime jobs have been stuffed with semi-literate Kalenjin herdsmen. I imagined that Mwai Kibaki would correct this but in fact he maintained many of them, and those he sent home were replaced by his kleptocratic tribesmen.”

Has Beens Facts Home Jobs Errors Eras Prime Replaced

Author:Raila Odinga

“The matter of bringing in corrupt leaders was started by [Mwai ] Kibaki, and in truth, do not be surprised if you find that the likes of William Ruto find themselves behind bars after the elections, because he has cases pending against him.”

Ifs Matter Behinds Leader Cases Election Bars Likes Pending

Author:Raila Odinga

“I will not interfere with the courts at all. For now,[William] Ruto is a political necessity, but you know in politics we do have blind loyalties and if we are to win this battle, we have to use all options available.”

Ifs Knows Use Political Winning Battle Blind Court Available Loyalty Interfere

Author:Raila Odinga

“We cannot build county councils based on one single constituency. It doesn't make sense because it does not have a sufficient revenue base to be able to provide the services that county councils are required to provide.”

Doe Able Make Sense Sufficient Revenue Council County

Author:Raila Odinga

“Sometimes people like to take risks.”

People Sometimes Risk

Author:Raila Odinga

“With Uhuru [Kenyatta] running against [Mwai] Kibaki, the Kikuyus will be divided for sure.”

Running Divided

Author:Raila Odinga

“Musalia [Mudavadi] has a much weaker character in person than [Musikari] Kombo, and you know the joke about humble Luhya servants as cooks and watchmen...Anyway, jokes aside, Luhya disunity is a blessing for us and I would never have wanted it any other way.”

Knows Way Persons Character Wanted Blessing Jokes Humble Cooks Servant Disunity

Author:Raila Odinga

“Had the Luhyas united, my plans would have been impossible to fulfil .”

Has Beens United Plans Impossible

Author:Raila Odinga

“If someone like Musalia [Mudavadi ] ruled Kenya, he would not be able to effect the radical changes I talk about.”

Ifs Able Effects Radical Kenya Radical Change

Author:Raila Odinga

“Musalia [Mudavadi] was created by [Daniel Toroitich arap] Moi and given his seat after his father's death since Musalia's was one of Moi's key men and a beneficiary of the grand corruption of the day. I am aware of this but I recognize that I cannot get perfect partners, and truly my friends; there is an election to be won.”

Men Father Given Perfect Keys My Friends Election Corruption Partners Seats Beneficiaries Perfect Partner

Author:Raila Odinga

“I congratulate the outgoing Nigeria President Mr Goodluck Jonathan for his grace in conceding defeat.”

President Grace Defeat Nigeria Outgoing

Author:Raila Odinga

About the Author

Born: January 7, 1945
Known for: Former Prime Minister of Kenya
Quotes: 27

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