Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga Dies at 80
Former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga has died at the age of 80.
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader passed away on Wednesday in the Indian city of Kochi, where he had been receiving treatment.
According to Indian newspapers Mathrubhumi and The Hindu, Odinga suffered a cardiac arrest during a morning walk at the Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Eye Hospital and Research Centre, where he had been undergoing treatment for the past five days.
Born on January 7, 1945, in Maseno, Raila Odinga was the son of Mary Juma Odinga and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Kenya’s first Vice President under President Jomo Kenyatta.
A key figure in Kenya’s struggle for multiparty democracy, Odinga was arrested and charged with treason in connection with the failed 1982 coup attempt against President Daniel arap Moi. He spent several years in detention, first released in February 1988 before being re-arrested later that year and detained until June 1989.
Odinga went on to become one of Kenya’s most enduring opposition leaders, serving as Member of Parliament for Lang’ata Constituency from 1992 to 2013.
He later served as Prime Minister from 2008 to 2013 under President Mwai Kibaki in the Grand Coalition Government that followed the disputed 2007 general election.
Raila Odinga contested the presidency five times, including in 2017 and 2022, both of which he claimed were marred by electoral irregularities.
In recent weeks, there had been growing speculation about his health after he missed several public engagements. His elder brother, Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga, had dismissed the reports, saying the ODM leader was only “recuperating and resting” in India.
“There have been many rumours about our party leader’s health, but I want to clarify that he was not in critical condition. He was simply resting after feeling unwell,” Oburu said during a press briefing in Ugunja, Siaya County, on Saturday.
ODM officials had also denied reports suggesting that Odinga was battling serious health complications.
Raila Odinga leaves behind a legacy as one of Kenya’s most influential and resilient political figures, a statesman who shaped the nation’s democratic journey over four decades.
