A neuroscientist has called for leadership that prioritizes the welfare of ordinary Kenyans, recalling a youth symposium organized by the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga where he advocated for a social democratic approach to healthcare and national development.
Prominent Kenyan Physician and Clinical Neuroscientist Dr Bundi Karau, reflecting on Raila’s legacy during the first anniversary of his death, said Kenya had missed an opportunity to experience the leadership of a man he believed was committed to the interests of all citizens.
“Kenya needs a socialist, especially in healthcare. It needs a leader who thinks about all people,” Dr Karau said, recalling his address at a youth symposium held at the University of Nairobi five years ago.
He said the opportunity to speak on health before Raila, whom he described as an enigma, had left a lasting impression on him.
“I think Kenya has been blessed with core capitalists who think about huge projects, money, business and profit. We missed a chance to experience the leadership of this man,” he said.
Dr Karau’s reflections come as Kenyans mark one year since Raila died on October 15, 2025, with memorial activities held from October 13 to 15 to celebrate his life and reflect on his contribution to the country’s political and social development.
The neurologist said the challenges facing young people, particularly feelings of neglect, hopelessness and exclusion, required deliberate efforts to involve them in national affairs.
In his address at the symposium, Dr Karau identified apathy among the youth as a consequence of feeling that they did not belong, warning that the situation was linked to wider concerns over mental health, suicide and drug and substance abuse.
“What is the problem? The problem with our youth is neglect, hopelessness, rolelessness. It is apathy — the feeling that they don’t belong,” he said.
He argued that the solution lay in creating meaningful opportunities for young people to participate in decision-making and ensuring that youth engagement forums continued beyond changes in government.
“The solution is to involve the youth in the affairs of our nation. The solution is to ensure forums like this even when the next government is formed,” he said.
Dr Karau maintained that Kenya needed a leadership model that placed public welfare above the pursuit of profit, particularly in healthcare, where access to services remains a central concern for many households.
His tribute adds to the reflections on Raila’s legacy as the country commemorates the veteran politician, whose decades in public life were closely associated with struggles for political reform, democratic rights and social justice.
Acknowledging that life must move forward despite the loss, Dr Karau said the country remained on a journey whose direction would depend on the choices made by its people.
“But we are all on a journey. Eventually, life must move on. For we are all sojourners in this land,” he said.
