His legislative interest focuses on defence, security and public accounts.
[1][2] Rai started his political career at the grassroot level and served as a councilor from 1988 to 1992.
He contested and won Kinango Constituency seat in the National Elections on the ticket of KANU party.
He lost his reelection to Simeon Mkalla in the 1997 parliamentary election before reclaiming the seat in 2002 and in 2007 on the FORD-People ticket where he was the vice-chairman.
He resigned from FORD-People in 2012 to support Uhuru Kenyatta presidential campaign on the condition that a member of his community would be appointed board chairman of Kenya Ferry Services (KSF).