Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Thursday excited social media users when he took a trip down memory lane with pictures of his younger days.
Being a Thursday – when social media users share pictures from their past -, the ODM leader contributed to the popular TBT trend by sharing pictures of his time in Germany.
“Hanging out and catching a train ride in Magdeburg, Germany #Tbt,” Raila tweeted.
The vintage black and white photos were taken in the 1960s when Raila was studying on a scholarship at the technical Herder Institut, University of Leipzig in East Germany.
While studying in East Berlin during the Cold War, as a Kenyan, Raila was able to visit West Berlin through the Checkpoint Charlie. When visiting West Berlin, he reportedly used to smuggle goods not available in East Berlin and bring them to his friends in East Berlin.
Baba graduated in 1970 with an Msc (Masters of Science) and returned to Kenya the same year. In 1971 he established the Standard Processing Equipment Construction & Erection Ltd (later renamed East African Spectre), a company manufacturing liquid petroleum gas cylinders.
Raila’s photo drew hundreds of comments and thousands of likes as Kenyans on Twitter wowed at his little known pictorial history in Germany.
Here are some sampled reactions:
Hehehe woooow that’s really TBT, such a good way to go down memory Lane Our beloved Right Honorable PM!! Hongera ✊✌️?
— emmeboy (@emmeboy) March 28, 2019
Ndio baba….we are proud of u and we always pray for u.Never give up .God bless u
— Mr. Kinuthia Pius. (@Belive_Kinuthia) March 28, 2019
My favorite leader, pitty I have missed you when you visited my hometown Swakopmund, Namibia. your leadership is God Given Sir.. my wish is to have a week following you and learning from you.. #AfricanInspiration
— Heinrich Hafeni (@HeinrichHafeni) March 28, 2019
????? pic.twitter.com/UMc5KkWvLo
— Unemployed Professor (@WRadigo) March 28, 2019
Baba, i always thought you were born just Baba,kumbe you also hustled like this!?
— jessica Wegesa (@jwegesa) March 28, 2019
weeeh this man was cute jamani.
— CRAZY PAOMER (@paull_Anyango) March 28, 2019
“Ukiona Nyani Mzee ujue amekwepa Mishale mingi”
— Mr James .W. Sillas (@james_sillas) March 28, 2019
When you say hanging out you literally mean HANGING?..nice one!
— Dixtrix Rojaz (@DixtrixR) March 28, 2019
This man will not stop to amaze me, he always challenge everybody, now see, because museveni took a ride in a train, he has to show him that before he board Kenyan train, he had already boarded Germany train… #museveni_challege
— Erica (@_ericndemange) March 28, 2019
Baba, post the other #TBT the one you stopped that train with just one hand ??when the brakes failed, or the other one that you killed a lion with just 2 fingers and ate it, in fact post that one time you demolished the entire Berlin wall with one punch ?? #LongLiveBaba ???
— Emmanuel Mogeni (@MogeniEmmanuel) March 28, 2019
Wacha usikie miguna.. Kiherehere.. Ati Hapa ni railways
— Reuben.mbuthia (@reuwpipo) March 28, 2019
Kumbe hii stori ya SGR ilikuingia mapema?
— The Primary Asset (@HOVELyZZ) March 28, 2019