Raila Odinga 80: Kenya's grand old statesman or wily dealmaker?

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga  is eyeing the African Union Commission’s chairperson in elections slated for February. [File, Standard]

Had the gods been kinder, Raila Odinga would have celebrated his 80th birthday Tuesday as Kenya’s fifth president. A better script would have seen him in his eighth year of retirement, had he claimed the prize in the disputed 2007 presidential election.

The gods had other ideas, destining Raila...