This has recently been the case for the late former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, whose online platforms are now being managed by the RAO Foundation.
According to reports seen by People Daily, the foundation was established to safeguard Raila’s political and social legacy following his death on October 15, 2025.
The move has sparked an important discussion about what really happens to someone’s social media accounts when they die — especially influential figures like Raila Odinga, who had millions of followers on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.
After Raila’s passing, his X bio was quietly updated to read:
This change officially transferred control of the accounts from the Odinga family to the foundation, which aims to use the platforms to share key moments from his career, speeches, and humanitarian causes he supported.
The foundation will also continue to promote values Raila stood for — democracy, peace, and unity.
Experts say this kind of digital handover is becoming more common among public figures. Instead of deleting or abandoning social media pages, families and organizations now preserve them as digital archives.
Platforms like Facebook even allow users to set “legacy contacts” — people authorized to manage their accounts after death.
Raila’s last online activities remain a reflection of his leadership journey. His final post on Facebook featured a meeting with Gor Mahia FC officials, while his last retweet was from Raila Odinga Junior, who was later installed as the new head of the Odinga family.
The RAO Foundation’s move symbolizes a new way of preserving history in the digital age.
It ensures that Raila’s voice, memories, and lifelong mission for a better Kenya remain accessible to his millions of supporters around the world.
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