When Raila Odinga took to his Facebook about his time praying for Kenya on the Western Wall, the post sparked reaction with members of the public shunning its importance in comparison to the economic state of the country.

Raila claims a connection to this spiritual spot dating back from his time in detention in 1982 after the aborted coup during the Moi era. In his letter he explains how he prayed and wrote the wishes he had for the people of Kenya during his detention.

Also read: Raila’s special prayer for Kenyans at the ‘Wailing Wall’ in Israel

The question is, just how significant is this wall?

For those with in depth knowledge of religious history, the Western Wall also known as the Wailing Wall is not new. Biblically defined as the center of the spiritual world, the Western Wall is a surviving remnant of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, which was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE. According to Jewish blog Aish, the history of the wall has some interesting facts. Read on.

Raila is known for his profound love for history and while this may or may not be a PR stunt, you’ve got to give it to him, this is one authentic touch to his race for presidency.