How Raila acquired his many nicknames

 

A nickname is a familiar, invented given name for a person or thing used instead of the actual name of the person or thing. 

Raila Odinga is a Kenyan leader who has been in politics for so many years and he has been an opposition leader for a long time.

 In all these years, he has earned many titles and nicknames from his followers because of achieving a lot in Kenya politics.

Below are some of the nicknames;

1. Baba

Baba became the latest nickname he got from his political cronies who considered him a political father.

The name came about in 2014 when Raila was in the United States for a trip.

Baba is a Luo and Swahili word that means father. Many people in Kenya considered Raila as their political father because of his great leadership and guidance to Kenyan citizens.

He was given this name as a sign of love from the Kenyan citizens to him after he went to the US for a three-month tour.

His supporters created the name while informing him of whatever was happening in the country during his absence.

 Their statements would be preceded by the "baba while you were away" phrase before saying anything.  Since then, the name has become one of his own, his supporters responding with "ndio baba" whenever he addresses them. 

2. Agwambo

Agwambo is a Luo word that has been translated to mean Mysterious or unpredictable.

His political followers gave him the name for his nature of being unpredictable in the political game.

It is also perceived to be a spirit because of his unwavering presence on the political scene.

3. Jakom

Jakom is also a Luo term that refers to somebody who is holding the chairperson position, leading a group of followers, or simply a person in a position of power.

Given he comes from the Luo community, this term is commonly used to identify him as the leader of the tribe, leader of the Opposition, and the ODM party.

The name was derived from his activities in the political and social scenes which include chairing high-profile deliberations.

4. RAO

RAO has been in existence for as long as Raila Odinga has lived in politics since his early years in politics.

RAO is an abbreviation of his official name Raila Amolo Odinga.

5. Peoples President

The title became famous after the controversial swearing-in at Uhuru Park where Raila Odinga was declared the people's president despite losing in a hotly contested presidential election in August 2017.

Some of the people who administered the oath included the vocal leader of the defunct National Resistance Movement (NRM) Miguna Miguna and  Mr. Otieno Kajwang'. 

6. Tinga

It is the Swahili word for tractor.

It was the symbol for the NDP party with which Raila contested for the presidency in the 1997 general election. 

He got this name in the 1990s when he was the National Development Party (NDP) leader, the party whose slogan was Tinga.