Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, and Lukenya University Board chairperson Sylvia Kasanga at the varsity's main campus in Mtito Andei, Makueni County, on November 9, 2025.Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka has paid glowing tribute to the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, praising him for his lifelong commitment to democracy and Pan-Africanism.
Kalonzo said Raila’s Pan-African ideals were not just theoretical but deeply ingrained in how he lived and led.
“For decades, he championed African unity, economic cooperation, and leadership that prioritises people,” Kalonzo said.
He spoke on Sunday during the Pan African Day 2025 celebrations at Lukenya University in Mtito Andei, Makueni County. The event was presided over by former Botswana President Seretse Ian Khama.
According to Kalonzo, Raila firmly believed that Africa must speak with one voice and that the continent’s future depends on unity and shared purpose.
As the African Union’s High Representative for Infrastructure Development, Raila worked to advance this vision across the continent.
“He envisioned a continent connected by railway lines, roads, energy corridors, and digital networks—a continent bound not by borders but by shared purpose. He often reminded us that ‘Africa cannot trade or integrate without infrastructure.’ For Raila, this connection was more than development. It was liberation—a living symbol of Pan-African unity,” Kalonzo said.
He added that Raila’s spirit continues to inspire even after his death, reminding Africans that the continent’s power lies in cooperation rather than division, and in dignity rather than dependency.
Kalonzo said a wind of change is sweeping across Africa, embodied by the wave of Gen Z–led protests against corruption, impunity, bad governance, lack of transparency, electoral fraud, and the rising cost of living.
“This wind is the latest expression of Pan-Africanism. The wave of Gen Z–led protests across Africa is a powerful testament to a new generation rising,” he said.
He emphasised that these peaceful demonstrations should not be mistaken for disorder, but recognised as acts of hope and determination aimed at restoring the dignity of the youth and holding leaders accountable—just as Africa’s forefathers fought to restore the continent's dignity during the struggle against colonialism.
“This is Pan-Africanism in action—an awakening that must be recognised and supported,” Kalonzo said.
He urged African leaders to stop treating protesters as criminals or terrorists, adding that unlawful arrests and denial of fundamental rights must come to an end.
“Leaders must listen to their people, not silence them. This surge of youth-led Pan-Africanism isn’t accidental. Nineteen coups in just four years, coupled with the persistence of ‘WANTAM’ presidencies, are warnings we can’t ignore. The people of Africa are awake, and the spirit of Pan-Africanism is alive, resilient, and unstoppable,” Kalonzo said.
